The Uchiha Couple
by asashouryuu
Summary: Uber fluff and angsty stories of Sasuke and Naruto as a married couple. SasuNaru.　Mpreg starting from chapter 14.
1. ここから。。。これからも。。。

**Warning: This is SasuNaru YAOI and this fic is unbeta-ed. Read at your own risk. **

**Standard disclaimer applies**

Author's Notes: I just wanted to tackle stories of Sasuke and Naruto being a married couple. But first, I need some foundation/origin. I have to warn you though that all chapters are 80 fluff and characters will be OOC. Despite these, I hope you will still enjoy, ne.

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Chapter 1: Cementing

Any indifferent observer in Konoha would say the only thing that kept Sasuke and Naruto together; that drove them apart and brought them back was rivalry. But to their friends' opinion it was more than that… much much more than that. It was in the way they treated each other or how they unconsciously flirted with each other with seemingly innocent double entendre.

**-- SasuNaru is love --**

In the wide clearing near a brook, Naruto frowned as he found himself viciously pinned against the tree while Sasuke deliciously pressed his body against his. When did spar turn into something akin to sweet torture? Spar was supposed to be motions of attack and defense of taijutsu and ninjutsu, a part of training for ninjas and not this, whatever this that his opponent made it.

Sasuke stared into those devastating blue eyes, willing himself not to get lost into them when he had such important mission.

"Won't you say it?" he breathed, his lips just a centimeter a way from Naruto's ear.

"Say what?" was the blonde's reply even though he knew what Sasuke wanted.

"That you love me."

Naruto's reply was silence and an obstinate one at that. He was no longer the naïve person that he was at the age of 12. He learned how to avoid pain especially when said pain was directed to his heart.

"Why not?" he heard Sasuke hissed. "You said it once when seven years ago when I had nothing to give."

Ah yes, the whispered confession during their battle to end it all at the Valley of the End.

"It's different now, Sasuke." Naruto looked away, his face devoid of anything just as his voice.

"Yes it is, because I now have something to give you."

Hearing that, Naruto whipped his head and glared at the man in front of him. He sneered, "Leftovers of Orochimaru and Itachi, I gather."

Instead of sneering back, Sasuke was being humble. "I'm giving you myself, Naruto. I know it's broken but it could be mended by your love." He had Naruto's attention now. He always had and he intended to keep it that way. He continued talking, hoping that he could convince the only person he wanted in his life. "Not only that, I am giving you something that I had kept hidden all this years behind the layers of thick ice – my heart. You could do anything you want with it. Throw it… burn it… break it. Anything." At this, he carelessly shrugged his shoulders as if completely indifferent with it all but his eyes were saying otherwise and Naruto could see that. "It's still cold and dull from its years of not being used but it's not something that your warmth can't do." Then he fixed his gaze on to that face that had haunted his dreams for god knows since when and softly, like a caress of a gentle breeze, he ended with, "Last but not the least, I am giving you my name."

That last offer ripped Naruto from his temporary prison that was Sasuke's eyes that had by now become darker than the night. "Sasuke…" he breathed, words unable to form in his mind. Did Sasuke say what he thought he was saying?

Reading the doubt in Naruto's mind, the dark-haired ninja assured, "Yes, I am asking you to marry me."

Sasuke was giving Naruto the three things the female population in Konoha would die to covet. He was offering it to him and him alone. All throughout, Sasuke's voice was calm but his eyes were pleading him to accept all there was to him, all that he was.

Two pairs of eyes clashed. Smoldering black on stormy blue. Smoldering blue on stormy black. Their gaze held one thing: Love.

_I love you_, their hearts sang.

Naruto freed his hands from Sasuke's grip which had loosened awhile ago. He let his left hand brushed through soft black hair while his other hand cupped Sasuke's face. Unable to get past the lump of tears that had stuck on his throat, he could only manage to say Sasuke's name.

It was only his name said in a soft voice but Sasuke knew what it meant. He smiled as relief flooded through him. He grabbed Naruto and did what both of them wanted since Sasuke's return – kiss.

Alone, they could only be what they could be but together, they could be more.

TBC

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puppy-look A parfait for a review. 


	2. 結婚式

**Beware SasuNaru, Yaoi and unbeta-ed. **

**Disclaimer: if I owned Naruto characters, I would definitely get Sasuke and Naruto married and have them create little Sasu and Naru. coughs. **

**Author's Notes: For those who signed in to review, I hope you read my reply. For my two anonymous reviewers (Slow Bleed and Zuwie) -squee- thanks for reviewing and I hope you'll stick around for more of this insanity of mine. Yosha Another chapter. Forgive my hyperactiveness, Japan's temperature is getting to me. **

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**Chapter II: Wedding and the whole entourage**

Sasuke, dressed in light blue kimono bearing the Uchiha's symbol and dark blue hakama, quickly made his journey towards Iruka's house. He, for the life of him, could not remember of any occasion where he was as nervous as he was at that moment. He felt as if he was going to his execution by guillotine which was silly of him to think that way. After all, he was just going to ask Naruto's hand in marriage. How difficult could that be? His mind answered that question by flashing him images of those times that he had hurt Naruto, making him groan.

He took a deep breath before he knocked on Iruka's door. As expected, Naruto was the one who answered the door and gave Sasuke a dazzling smile.

"You look hell, bastard," the blonde commented, "don't worry. Things will be fine."

Sasuke would have believed Naruto if only he didn't see how those tan hands trembled as he reached for his. "Come. They are waiting," he heard the blonde said as he was pulled inside and led to the living room.

'_They?_' Sasuke mentally echoed. His nervousness raised ten notches higher as he assumed that 'they' meant Tsunade and Jiraiya. But despite what he was feeling he understood that the two sannin had the right to be there as both of them treated his blonde as a family.

Nothing had prepared Sasuke when he realized when he stepped into the living room that 'they' meant not only the two sannin but all the 7 rookie nine, Sai, Gai's team and all the teams' respective teachers. What the hell, Sasuke mind screamed for all that it was worth. Did he walk into a mission briefing or some meeting?

He looked at Naruto, his gaze silently asking '_Why are they here?_'

Naruto's gaze replied '_Beats me. They are already here when I came. Probably word gets around._'

For a split second, the Uchiha wished for the ground to open and swallow these uninvited people alive who was making him more rattled.

To accommodate everybody, the furniture was pushed to the side and everybody was sitting on the floor and was now looking at Sasuke who for few seconds stayed rooted to the ground before he together with Naruto sat in front of them all.

Addressing everybody instead of Iruka as he had planned, he said solemnly, "Allow me, Uchiha Sasuke, to marry Naruto." Then he placed both hands in front of him and on the floor and bowed deeply, his forehead touching the carpet. Words of assurance and persuasion were flooding in his mind. He won't let this day end without an approval from them especially Iruka.

Everybody had thought that the Uchiha would stop after performing the deepest bow so they were all shocked when they heard the dark-haired ninja, still bowing, said, "Please, allow me. I beg you."

Naruto was too nervous to be aware of everybody's surprise and assumed that their silence means that everybody was against their marriage, so he followed Sasuke's suit and also begged. "I'm begging you also."

Sasuke was about to continue begging when he felt someone settled in front of him. "Raise your head, Sasuke-kun, Naruto," Iruka said gently. Meeting the dark gaze of his student, he placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and said, "I'll leave Naruto to you. Please make him happy."

Happiness dawned on Naruto's face while it flickered on Sasuke's face before he nodded affirmatively. The rest of them started clapping their hands and then someone offered glasses of champagne.

Naruto and Sasuke stood, side by side, at the balcony, staring at the star-filled night while the others were inside partying. The blonde placed his head on his fiancé's shoulder and sighed.

"I'm so happy."

Sasuke brought an arm to wrap around Naruto's shoulder, pulling him closer. "You'll be happier," he murmured before he leaned down to give him a passionate soul-stirring kiss.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

The Uchiha-Uzumaki wedding wasn't a Konoha public event as both Sasuke and Naruto wanted their wedding guests to be only those people who they called friends.

So the rest of the rookie nine, their teachers, Iruka, Jiraiya, Shizune, Raido, Genma,　Izumo, Kotetsu Udon, Konohamaru, Moegi, Sai, Gaara and his two siblings, Teuchi (Ichiraku's owner) and his daughter - Ayame were the only witnesses as they exchange vows in front of Tsunade on top of the Hokage mountain.

Sasuke and Naruto were dressed in black formal kimono and haori, both bearing their respective family crest, and gray hakama. Tsunade and Gaara wore their kage gowns. Ayame and his father were the only who were wearing formal attire while the rest were wearing their respective and perfectly ironed and pristine ninja uniforms.

As the first ray of the sun graced the earth, Tsunade declared Sasuke and Naruto as husband and wife, er, husband. Godaime then gave Sasuke the permission to kiss his blonde and he grinned devilishly before he yanked his wife and swooped down for that kissable lips.

The clapping from the audience stopped to be replaced by whistles as what supposed to be a chaste kiss turned to a long passionate one which would have gone on and on if Tsunade didn't clear her throat in a very threatening manner.

The reception was held in the Uchiha mansion and while everyone was digging in, Sasuke waited for Naruto by the sliding door. A small smile graced his lips as his gaze fell on his wedding ring. His wedding ring was the opposite of Naruto's. His had the Uzumaki symbol engraved on the outside while the Uchiha symbol was in the inside. It felt weird to see something decorating his right hand but it didn't mean it was uncomfortable. The band was more than the tangible connection he had with the blonde, this was the tangible part of his beloved that he would always carry. It would remind him that he belonged to someone just as someone belonged to him and that he was just half of their perfect circle.

He looked up as he felt Naruto approaching the other side of the door. He slid it open and smile appreciatively as he saw Naruto wearing one of his gift for him - a deep royal blue kimono that now bear the Uchiha symbol.

"Well?" Naruto asked almost shyly. There was just something about the nice clothes Sasuke bought for him that made him feel awkward and self-conscious, as if they weren't meant for him.

"You look beautiful," Sasuke replied softly and his grinned turned impish as he added, "But I bet you look stunning when you are out of it."

Naruto blushed and murmured, "Pervert." He placed his hand on Sasuke's offered one.

Their guests fell silent as they watched the soft banter between the couple. Sasuke then regarded all of them and announced proudly as if he found the greatest treasure on earth and in his opinion, he did, "Ladies and Gentlmen, my wife, Naruto Uchiha."

"A toast to the newlyweds," Kiba shouted breaking the silence like ripples of calm water.

A murmur of "hear, hear" echoed before Konohamaru made another toast. It didn't end until everyone had made a toast to the couple.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

And then there was just alone and naked on Sasuke's big bed, in his huge room. Sasuke laid on his left side, his head supported by his elbow as he let his eyes wander on his greatest possession.

Under those dark predatory and possessive eyes, Naruto's breath became shallower and faster. He wondered why Sasuke wasn't touching him when ever since their engagement, he could barely keep those wicked hands from him.

"Sasuke?" he asked, his apprehensive blue eyes clashing with black eyes.

"Ask me to kiss you," Sasuke said huskily.

"Kiss me." And Sasuke did, slowly and tenderly as if Naruto was a very fragile thing.

"Ask me to touch you."

"Touch me."

And when Sasuke let his hands wander possessively, branding everything he touched as his, his kisses turned rough and desperate.

Naruto responded to his husband's torrid ministrations. Not wanting to let go or wanting it to stop, he gave more than he took. He was feeling a lot of intense sensations and he wondered why he was still alive when this overload of feelings could have killed him. But it was enough… never enough when it comes to Sasuke.

"More…I want more," he moaned as Sasuke gave him sharp little bites. He felt those wicked lips brushed against his neck as Sasuke murmured, "Me too."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Sasuke traced his finger up and down his thighs, making Naruto's muscles relax and his bones to jelly. Those little sounds Naruto made were destroying him and his control but he held on to what was little of his sanity. He wanted to please Naruto, wanted it so much than his completion.

"Take me, Sasuke. Complete me." It was a whisper but it was as loud as thunder to Sasuke's ears and this time he broke. He freed the animal that had been pacing within him. He ravished not only that sweet mouth but everything. He didn't leave anything that remained untouched or not tasted.

His hands were as greedy as Sasuke's. His mouth as aggressive as his. Naruto knew he was being eaten alive but instead of stopping it, he encourage it. Surrendered himself to his predator. He screamed as Sasuke feasted on his nipples. He clung to him while his hands made its merry way on Sasuke's body, feeling and teasing. He cried out as Sasuke drove into him, heat into heat, completely filling him to the brim.

After a piece of eternity and with a throaty moan, Naruto urged Sasuke to move. The sensation brought out by the thrust was a powerful explosion that left Naruto seeing lights behind his eyelids and swamped his soul. Gripping on to Sasuke, he matched him for speed and roughness.

More of Naruto was all he could think of as those ring of muscles softened to accept him. He plunged deeper as felt more of himself being drawn in. Insane with the pleasure of him within Naruto, he watched his face, totally contorted with indescribable pleasure. Their smoldering eyes met and Naruto pulled Sasuke for a deep kiss.

Sasuke took his blonde higher and faster, then over and the explosion rocked them to the very roots of their soul, leaving them dizzy and perfectly complete. And as Naruto melted under him, Sasuke poured his essence into him. He surrendered himself just as Naruto surrendered to him few minutes ago.

**TBC**

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I apologize if the lemon scene wasn't nosebleeding, much less hot. I didn't have chocolate overload you see so the scene isn't that much yummy. Reviews are always great so can I have them? - smiles - 


	3. うちはだよ。。。うちは！

**SasuNaru, Yaoi and Unbeta-ed. **

**Author's notes: Trying to show a different side of Sasuke's possessiveness. And to my anonymous reviewers (Lo and Naruke), thank you for reading this uber sweet fic. **

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**Chapter III: By the name...**

By nature, Sasuke was possessive. Even as a child, all his material possessions had his name and he made sure that everyone knew what he owned and what he had, be it a person or a material. But when his bastard of a brother took all his precious persons away, he had nothing to flaunt, nothing and no one to call his own. But that changed when he married Naruto. Now, he made it his mission that everybody knows who Naruto belonged to. And his first victim was none other than Inuzuka Kiba who happened to be in same place as the Uchiha when he spotted his blond friend.

"Hey, Uzumaki!" Kiba hollered, waving his left hand to get Naruto's attention. He just felt like addressing his friend by his family name, unfortunately forgetting one very important detail.

Sasuke half-glared Kiba who immediately fell silent, thinking he was offending Naruto's husband with his noise. "If you want to address him by his family name then address him as Uchiha." "But you are also address as Uchiha. Wouldn't that cause confusion?" At this Akamaru barked in agreement. Sasuke smirked, "Then you shall address him as Sasuke's Uzumaki or else..."

Kiba stared at him owlishly. He assumed that Sasuke had lost few marbles and promised to himself that he would never again address Naruto by his family name. Damn Uchiha and his eccentricities. "Nice to see you, Kiba," a glowing Naruto greeted. "What are you doing here, anyway?" "I feel like hanging out but it seemed you guys have some plans, right?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, we're going on grocery shopping. Want to come?"

His friend crinkled his nose and immediately declined especially when the Uchiha's eyes were promising him torture if he didn't. Really, Uchiha and his possessiveness.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

This was their first time to go grocery shopping as a couple and Sasuke led Naruto to the better part of the market where he buys his groceries. Unfortunately, that place was where some people who still hated Naruto, had their business but that didn't deter the blonde who wanted to get what his husband wanted.

"I'll get the vegetables and you get the fish by that stall," Sasuke said pointing to the farthest stall of the street. Naruto immediately headed there and examined different kind of fish.

"Mister, can I have two kilos of mackerel and a kilo of salmon, please?"

Grumbling about 'demon' and all, the man quickly packed not so fresh mackerel, causing Naruto to say, "Can I have the freshest? Like this one here?"

"I can't give you that!" was the angry reply, eyes full of hatred that made Naruto cringed.

"But-"

"Beggars can't be choosers, demon.""

"Do you have a problem with **my wife**?" Sasuke asked coldly as he joined his blonde. He was giving the man the infamous Uchiha glare, causing the man to almost tremble. "Deny what he wanted and you also deny me. That's how things will work from now on."

When the two walk away from the fisherman, not only did Naruto had what he wanted, but also the fisherman gave them, as a late wedding gift, one big tuna fish which was then delivered to the Uchiha state.

"You don't have to terrorize the man with your sharingan, Sasuke" Naruto said although he was totally touched by what Sasuke said to the man. He was sure that two hours from now, those words would be spread all over the market then all over the village.

"Hey, if they make an enemy of you then they are my enemy too," was Sasuke's reply, sparing a fond glance to his mate.

"Oh really. Since when?" the blonde joked, blue eyes dancing in mirth.

"When we are married," was the serious reply that made Naruto's heart soar.

Obviously, Sasuke was taking this marriage too seriously but Naruto wasn't complaining because he felt loved and pampered and he took Sasuke's hand in his all the while wondering if it was possible for him to be this happy?

They then, went to the meat section where the woman immediately prioritized them although there were customers before them. Naruto was amused to see how the woman silently seethed as she followed all of Naruto's requests. It even amused him when the said woman bowed as they left. Being an Uchiha had lots of perks but he couldn't wait for the day when all these people would bow to him not because he was now an Uchiha but because they respected him. That day comes when he became the hokage.

"What are you smiling, dobe?"

"I'm just happy. What would you like to have for dinner, teme?"

"You and that includes for dessert too."

Naruto blushed beet red but he didn't say or do anything that could be taken as a refusal to Sasuke's request.

In the busy crowded street, people couldn't help but notice a couple holding hands while walking at their own slow pace, one babbling nonstop while the other would now and then say something in the conversation and both of them had a contented look on their faces.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

A panting Naruto stood in front of an equally panting Lee as they prepared to clash once more. To improve his taijutsu, Naruto had asked Lee in a sparring match and the two had been at it for almost three hours now, neither one of them surrendering.

"Naruto-kun, I've to admit that you have improved but you can't beat me yet. Not when my youthful flame is BURNING FIERCER" Lee declared.

Naruto immediately snorted. "How dare you say that to me! It won't take long before I, Naruto Uzumaki, the next hokage will defeat all of you."

And Naruto knew he made a mistake even before he felt vibes of displeasure coming from his general right side. He turned around to find his mate frowning. With his guard down, Lee was about to attack Naruto but Sasuke threw a kunai at him, barely missing him by centimeters.

"I believe you made a mistake, dobe. Correct it." Sasuke said before Lee could react to his intervention. It wasn't a plea. It was a command made in a voice that brooked no disobedience.

Naruto rolled his eyes. Why couldn't his husband understand that mentioning his old family name was a habit? They had just been married for a week while he had been using the family name 'Uzumaki' for almost 19 years. Damn Uchiha and his strictness.

Sasuke sighed. He no longer had any patience to wait for the dobe to correct it. In a second, he was already beside Naruto who saw the wild predatory glint in those seductive black eyes. "I think a punishment is in order, dobe," he heard Sasuke said in a velvety voice making him shiver. When Sasuke pulled him, he tried to struggle but really why struggle when he knew at the end who would win. And so, without even managing to say goodbye to a confused Lee, Sasuke had transported them to the Uchiha mansion. Hours later, Naruto found himself unable to walk for almost a day even with kyuubi's healing.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

Wasn't it nice for the old hag to pair him and Sasuke for a mission after their honeymoon? Naruto thought as he and his partner jumped from one branch to another. Behind them were rogue ninjas who wanted to take very important scrolls from them.

Sasuke looked at Naruto who immediately signaled for them to split. Having no choice, Sasuke nodded and took the right while Naruto fled to the opposite direction.

Sasuke decided to confront his enemies instead of shaking them off so he turned 180 degrees and attacked them.

Blood splattered on one of the tree trunks as Naruto killed his last attacker. He was about to sheath his sword when two more ninjas dropped in front of him.

"Who do we have here in our turf?" a ninja asked, his head titled slightly in a cocky manner. His companion sneered at the maskless ANBU blonde. The old hag had told them that the mask was not needed so he and Sasuke didn't wear theirs.

"Naruto Uchiha, the soon-to-be Rokudaime," was his cocky reply as he always deemed mentioning his name to his enemies as part of his battle ethics.

The two men gaped at him. Was this lad trying to make a fool of them? The news of the Uchiha tragedy spread all throughout and they know there was only one survivor and he didn't go by the name Naruto.

"Kid, if you are trying to use someone's name, make sure you got it right."

"Seeing that you are going to die today, I see no point to tell you this but the name is Sasuke Uchiha – that's the survivor's name."

"Idiot. He is my husband." Naruto cringed when those eyes burned on him, checking him out, mentally undressing him. After assuring that their opponent was a male, the two men immediately thought that they must have heard it wrong. Seeing the doubt in their faces, Naruto quickly showed his ring.

"See," he said while wondering what he was doing, showing off his wedding ring to his opponents. "This ring even had the Uchiha's symbol engraved on it."

Even before his opponents could make a comment, two kunai found their way into their throat. Naruto looked at the direction the kunai came from and saw a pleased Sasuke. No doubt he had heard the entire conversation.

"Well done, dobe. And for that I have a prize for you," Sasuke said as he walked towards the blonde. To be honest, he wanted to kill those guys painfully and slowly as a punishment for the way they looked at his wife but he had more pressing matter to attend to and that was to reward his adorable uke.

"Ramen?" A hopeful voice.

"Something even better."

Naruto frowned. As far as he knew, there was nothing better than ramen but if Sasuke said so then there must be and he wanted to find it out. What could be better than ramen? The two raced towards Konoha and immediately delivered the scrolls to Tsunade.

After that, at the Uchiha mansion Sasuke gave his prize to Naruto who after hours later found himself unable to walk for almost a day. Again! Damn perverted sexy husband.

**TBC**

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I know all the posted chapters have Sasuke doing something nice for Naruto, rest assured, that will somehow change somewhere along. Next chapter would be more on Sasuke's perversion. Are you getting excited? I am. -sweatdrops- A pint of ice cream of any flavor for a review. teehee. 


	4. 俺の妻。。。

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, unbeta-ed and OOC **

**Author's Notes: It's here again! I'm glad everyone likes/loves this fic despite its fluffiness and OOCness. To all anonymous reviewers, thank you. I just can't resist writing this particular chapter. **

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**Chapter IV: Wife**

"What's bothering you, dobe?" Sasuke asked as he joined Naruto sitting on the kitchen island.

"Sasuke, why are you referring me as your wife?" The term had bothered Naruto since the day Sasuke used it. It felt wrong… Sure he was the one who had his family name change, the one who sits at the right side of the table while Sasuke sat at the head and the one who plays the uke but that hardly qualifies him to be called wife, right?

Sasuke frowned as he thought of the reason. Actually there was no reason. "Actually, I just though it was cute and endearing if I call you that."

"What kind of a reason is that?" Naruto growled.

"In my own opinion, it is appropriate not because you are the uke or anything. I'm just proud to refer you as that." He looked at Naruto, "If you want, you can refer me as your wife."

Naruto thought for awhile and found it horrible in a funny way. He may have a grace that rival that of a girl's but he was manly. Everything he did was manly in a beautiful way. Besides Sasuke was, as a start, not a wife material. Sure, he did household chores but that was because he had no one else.

After a moment, Naruto shook his head. "I think I'd like to stick to calling you my husband among others."

"And that would be?"

"Bastard, asshole…" Naruto continued on and on until Sasuke decided to shut him up by kissing him.

"Sasuke, I should start cooking lunch," Naruto said. Contrary to what most villagers believe, Naruto knew how to cook and his cooking was delicious, thanks to Iruka's teachings.

Half-heartedly, Sasuke let Naruto go and lazily watched him as he grabbed an apron. "Ne dobe, would it be too much to ask if you wear the apron and nothing else?"

"Sorry, bastard. That little fantasy of yours is doomed from the start."

Sasuke just arched an eyebrow as his wicked libido started coming up with plans on how to make one of his fantasies to reality.

"Sasuke, will you stop staring at my butt?" a frustrated Naruto cried out a minute later. He could not concentrate on what he was doing, not when he could feel a very intense gaze. "Better yet, why don't you stop staring at me like-"

"Like I wanted to push you on the kitchen table and feast on you? Because I definitely do," a smirking Sasuke replied as he cornered Naruto by the stove.

"Sasuke, the stove is on," he heard Naruto weakly stated and he immediately solved that problem. "Not anymore," was his reply before he pushed his blonde on the table.

Naruto opened his eyes when he felt Sasuke hovering above him but not touching him. He was just looking at him with a very serious face as if he was having a dilemma and he did. "What are you doing?" He demanded impatiently.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, his eyes glinting wickedly, "I can't decided whether to take off the apron too or just leave it alone."

The blonde growled and furiously rip the apron from his body. He just wanted Sasuke now and not his kinky fantasies. But the dark-haired ninja was not done yet.

"Naruto, can I put some garnishing on you?"

"God, Sasuke. Why don't you shut up and have me already," a frustrated Naruto growled out before he wrapped his legs around and bucked against Sasuke's hips letting him know what he wanted, needed at that moment.

_One day_, Sasuke swore before he focused all his attention to his delectable lunch.

**TBC**

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A review would be nice... Next chapter is all about Sasuke and Naruto's big fight... their worst so far. Otanoshimini... 


	5. 夫婦げんか

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, Unbeta-ed and OOC **

**Disclaimer: If I owned them, I would make SasuNaru fans crave for more. -smiles- **

**Author's Notes: Guys, I really appreciate all of your reviews and made an effort to reply to all of them. But if you wish to be spared from nonsense reply, just write it along with your review. **

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**Chapter V: In a moment of anger and pain...**

Naruto and his team were on an S-class retrieval mission. The retrieval had been quite difficult leaving his three members slightly injured but they managed to take the figurine made of jade that contained some heavy information. But they had ninjas hot on their heels so to get rid of them all at once, they had set a chakra-triggered explosive tags perfectly hidden around the area. It was a perfectly set-up kill zone. Once their pursuers enters the zone, –"_bang!_"- and they would be nothing but ashes.

It was perfect but in their quick preparation, one of his members accidentally dropped the figurine somewhere in the kill zone. And 'accidentally' was never and will never be a good thing, especially in their profession. Unable to disable their set-up anymore, Naruto decided to gamble his life as he had more chances of surviving, thanks to Kyuubi.

"Captain!" one of them uttered but the blonde had already entered the zone. After few seconds of searching, he found the figurine and tossed it to his team.

"Captain, what about you?" ANBU as she was, there was a hint of fear in her voice.

"Forget me. Just go." It was an order. And although it was painful, they had no choice but to obey.

The pursuers entered the zone just as Naruto, in full-speed, left. But even with his speed, he still felt the impact of explosion, throwing him off course, hitting his head on the boulder which caused slight blindness. The sound of the explosion caused him temporary deafness. He swallowed back his cries of pain as splinters pierced into him. He knew Kyuubi would have a long night of healing him and he muttered some apology to his already polite tenant.

**_- Hurry up and get out of here, kit - _**

Naruto groaned. He didn't feel like moving. He felt wonderful, sprawled on the ground with the sky so blue, clear and high. He closed his eyes, caving in to that delirious feeling in the arms of Morpheus. He was close to that edge when a memory of 4 days ago flashed through him quickly and slowly at the same time.

**-FLASHBACK-**

_Naruto woke up to the smell of coffee that filtered into their room. He looked up groggily and found Sasuke carrying a tray towards their bed. _

"_Morning, Sasuke" he greeted as he sat up and moved to the side to let his husband sat. He smiled when he saw a sunflower on the tray together with his breakfast. _

"_Sunflower?" he muttered as he let his lips brushed against Sasuke's left temple. _

"_Yeah. It reminds me of myself. Just like the sunflower, I follow the sun,"he replied meaningfully. _

"_Why the breakfast in bed?" Naruto was thoroughly enjoying this new side of Sasuke – sweet and thoughtful. _

"_Because you are leaving for a one-week mission. The place won't be the same without you." _

"_But you also have a mission, right?" This time, he held a small piece of bread to Sasuke's mouth and shivered when those sensuous lips brushed against his fingertips. _

"_It would just take three days," Sasuke replied and with his chopsticks held a bite of fried egg to Naruto. _

_Without saying anything, Naruto latched his lips onto Sasuke's neck and sucked, leaving a hickey. He kissed the mark and murmured, "I'll be back before that disappears." _

"_I'll be waiting," was the reply before Sasuke took his lips for a mind-numbing kiss. _

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

Sasuke's last statement echoed into his mind chasing the sleep away. Deaf, injured and slightly blind, he depended on his demonic instincts to catch up with his team. As agonizing as the journey was, he caught up with them at the Konoha gates where he collapsed in the arms of one of his teammates.

_I'm home, Sasuke…_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke marched along the hospital hallway. The dark aura he was emanating completely contrasted with the pristine whiteness of the hospital walls and tiles. He walked, his eyes staring ahead, totally deaf to the giggles and whispers of some nurses.

Sasuke hadn't heard the rest of what Hinata had told him but he didn't need it. Just his wife's name, and the trouble he was in was enough for him to head to the hospital with his blood boiling not with lust but with anger. And that anger leaked out when he burst into the room where a now conscious Naruto was tended by Sakura.

"Sasuke!" Naruto greeted, happy to see his husband but all of that happiness was disintegrated and replaced by wariness as he could feel the fury from that lithe frame.

Sasuke should be relieved seeing Naruto was already fine but that even angered him more. It just made him realized how close he was in losing Naruto because of his stupidity. The fear that gripped his heart with that knowledge irked him more.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded in low voice. In anger, Sasuke never shouted. He preferred to speak slowly, his anger making his voice deeper and dangerous. "For Christ's sake Naruto, it was just a figurine. Why risk your life?"

"It was a mission, Sasuke," Naruto meekly reasoned out. He never liked it when the other man was this angry and he twice hated it when he was at the receiving end which was always.

"Fuck the mission," he growled. "More importantly, why do you have to take it personally? You have kage bunshin, remember?"

Yes, he had that but somehow he had forgotten it until it was too late.

"I did remember but I was already inside the kill zone."

The honest reply made the dark-haired ninja more furious. He wanted to strangle the blonde for his stupidity.

"You are more stupid than you are acting to be. You'll never be a hokage which is fine because like everyone, I will not serve a stupid leader." Sasuke knew he said too much when those blue eyes became as turbulent as the ocean with pain. He felt like a heel when tears falling. "Naruto-"

"Go away, Sasuke" Naruto said calmly, very opposite of what he was feeling at that moment. Without another word, he left the room with a soft 'poof'.

Sakura, who few seconds ago was silently worried that Sasuke might burst few veins in his state of anger, looked at him, torn between pitying or scolding him for saying too much. But she partly understood both of her friends' feelings so she remained quiet and watched as her dark-haired friend walked out from the room.

After cooling down, Sasuke started searching for his blonde. Knowing Naruto, he visited Iruka's place.

"Sasuke!" Iruka greeted with a big smile. He knew that when Sasuke was at his door then that would also mean that Naruto was with him. He frowned when he didn't see Naruto or any sign of his presence. "Where's Naruto?"

At this question, the Uchiha knew that his wife wasn't there. At the same time, he was wondering how to answer the question without dying by the hands of this usually sweet-natured teacher in a split of second. To tell him that he had hurt Naruto unreasonably would result to him being skinned alive, rolled in salt and soaked in vinegar. If he'd answer that he had misplaced his wife, which at that moment was true because he could not locate him even in the places he usually frequent to, he would have his bones broken one by one. Obviously, he could not escape his death so he opted to choose for a less painful death.

Iruka looked at Sasuke expectantly while the latter had his mind working at maximum. Since he could not come up with an answer that would entail what he had chosen, he decided to lie even though he knew the teacher would see through it.

"Naruto sends his regards and would like to have you for dinner two days from now," he said and hightailed from there, not even looking back to see the expression on the chuunin's face.

He continued searching for his blonde. He knew he couldn't be in the hanging out with Neji, Lee, Ino, Tenten, Shikamaru and Chouji because they were on mission. He couldn't be with Sakura and Hinata either because they were still on duty at the hospital so that leaves Shino, Kiba or… He shivered thinking that his blonde was spending time with that guy.

Luckily, he spotted Kiba and Shino at the western training ground.

"Have you seen Naruto?" he asked both of them, skipping whatever greetings these guys wanted from him.

Kiba shook his head while Shino answered, "30 minutes ago at the park. He looked sad. You guys had a fight?"

"Nice weather, isn't it?" a voice announced melodiously sparing Sasuke from answering. The Uchiha inwardly growled. He had no time for this guy's teasing and empty smiles.

Sai continued smiling his fake smile out of habit. He wasn't bothered when the Uchiha glared at him in annoyance. He wasn't suicidal but he always liked to provoke Sasuke and he thought that that moment was the best time. "I saw Naruto a minute ago," he stated and his smile widened when the other ninja looked at him with something akin to hope flickering in those black eyes. Now for a hard blow. "He was muttering about applying for divorce." He swallowed the chuckle that threatened to spill from his lips when Sasuke paled before he left the place at full-speed, no doubt towards the administration building.

"That bad?" Kiba asked him and in reply Sai just smiled mysteriously.

The pounding of his heart was deafening as Sasuke raced towards the Hokage tower. He stared ahead with eyes that stung from unshed tears. In his moment of anger of almost losing the blonde in a mission, he had lost him. He had messed up beyond recognition. He was royally fucked. He had to do anything he could to stop Naruto from leaving him. Anything but would it be enough? A new bout of panic burst within him.

"Sasuke," he heard Kakashi said as the latter ran by his side. "Shouldn't you be with Naruto?"

"I am going to him," he replied tersely.

"Well you are going to the wrong direction."

Sasuke skidded to a stop and stared at the silver-haired jounin who stopped also. "He didn't look well to me so I silently followed him."

"And?" the younger ninja almost snapped.

"He's at the training ground of your estate."

Sasuke then zoomed towards the Uchiha estates leaving the jounin who, thanks to the lad's speed, was now sporting a very wind-tousled hair.

Sasuke sighed in relief when he saw Naruto sitting on a boulder. A lone figure looking so desolate that it made him flinched.

"Naruto-"

"I told you to go away!" was the angry reply.

"I'm not leaving. My right place is here with you."

Naruto would have told Sasuke it was very sweet of him but he was so angry and hurt that he just glared at his partner.

"Bastard."

"It's not something new actually." When Naruto started ignoring him, Sasuke panicked. Was this the end? Five months which felt like just a second? Had he completely severed all ties with just those words? For the first time of his life, Sasuke found himself on his knees, pleading for forgiveness. He looked so ridiculously pathetic that Naruto would have laughed; threw himself towards Sasuke and forgave him but he didn't felt like doing those things. Not this time.

Seeing that it was futile, he sat against the rock, staying with his wife although he was an unwanted companion. "I'll stay here with you no matter how long."

Naruto snorted, when a few minutes later, his husband left wordlessly. So much for his words, he thought, rolling his eyes.

If he was completely honest to himself then he would have known that he was guilty for not forgiving the guy when he had thrown his pride by kneeling and God knows how big the Uchiha's pride was but unfortunately he wasn't.

Naruto continued to brood. He was hurt because of Sasuke's words but this was not new because the bastard always managed to hurt him. unintentionally or not. But the verbal attack at the hospital room was unexpected and that hurt more. Naruto looked over his left shoulder when he felt Sasuke's presence once more. This time he had few things with him.

Sasuke had left to get few things, figuring that they'd be staying there all night and god knows until when. He had with him two bowls of Ichiraku's miso ramen, three pieces of onigiri; three canteens each containing hot coffee, tea and cocoa because he didn't know what his love wanted; last but not the least he brought two blankets knowing Naruto would refuse to share one with him. He offered the ramen to his mate, "Go ahead. I'm not expecting anything in return." When the blonde nodded and wordlessly took it, Sasuke went to sit on the ground and silently ate his meal.

The sun had set but they were still not talking which was a first. Their marriage was like any other- they argue and fight. However, as if in silent agreement, they always patched things up before sundown, that was, until now.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

Naruto woke up in the middle of the night feeling empty; too lonely for his taste and cold that had nothing to do with the cold night breeze. He looked around and found his partner few paces from him, sleeping. He missed him. Silently, he slipped into Sasuke's blanket, draped the other blanket over them then snuggled against his husband's back. He smiled as he felt his warmth.

Sasuke stirred awake and turn around. "Naruto?" he asked, unsure if it was just a dream. "I missed you," he heard the blonde whisper. Staring at those sleepy blue eyes he was about to apologized when he felt soft lips pressed against his. He opened his mouth, meeting Naruto's tongue halfway. When they pulled apart, Naruto was about to apologize but Sasuke silenced him with another kiss.

After awhile, Sasuke asked with a smirk, "So that means you won't continue with the divorce?" Naruto looked surprised and confused that he continued, "Sai said he heard you muttering about divorce."

"I didn't mention anything about it much less think about it, "Naruto, not wanting to cover-up his friend's sick joke this time especially when their marriage was on the life, replied. "I love you, even your faults and that includes your being a bastard, bastard."

The panic and fear that had been constantly growing within him, disappeared as he heard those words. Sasuke wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling him closer. That Sai's joke no longer make him hate him, no, he loathed him now. He swore to break that smiling mask of his with his Sharingan but for now, he would savor the feeling of having a sleeping Naruto in his arms under the star-decorated night sky.

**TBC**

* * *

-laughs sheepishly- I am so sorry for making Naruto as stupid as forgetting his kage no bunshin, after all he always use that jutsu first in any situation. -bows deeply- Sorry. Next chapter would be -looks at the outline- the two going to a mission in which Naruto finds himself in deep trouble when he made a man very interested in him. To complete their mission, he have to give his body to him for one night. And it seemed Sasuke would let him. -kaching!- WHAT! He would! 


	6. 最高の（最悪の）嘘

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, Unbeta-ed, OOC **

**If I own Naruto, then things would be more fun with Sasuke and Naruto. **

**Author's notes: This story had been sitting on my folder for two months now but I never had posted it for some reasons. When I found it, I decided to use it for this story instead of posting it as a separate one. There's a bit of a problem though. I couldn't decide how to end it so I made two. If the first ending statisfies you then no need to scroll down farther, if not then by all means, do it.**

SoraKitty: Thank you for your reviews. I had fun reading its randomness. Don't bully Sora too much, tho.

lo : I'm glad to hear that.

hidden-golden-eyes : It's okay. Who would want to log-in when one feels too sleepy? My fic isn't worthy to force yourself to wake up.

Naruke and to all those who seemed aghast that Sasuke would let Naruto sleep with other man: You have forgotten one important thing: Sasuke is a progidy. - smiles -

* * *

**Chapter 6: Undercover**

"WHAT?" Naruto, in his Oiroke no jutsu, loudly screeched, breaking the dead silence and scared the birds away, as the pervert's words finally registered in his mind. So surprised was he, that he released his jutsu.

_My God, what had I gotten myself into?_

Beside him, his husband remained composed but if one would look closely, a vein ticked on his forehead.

_What had my dobe gotten himself into this time?_ Sasuke thought. The 30-something man in front of them was serious though, he knew that and it pissed him more.

Naruto gulped as he felt the killing aura from the dark-haired ANBU. He didn't know who he wanted to kill. Was it him? Jin? Or both?

"It's up to you, Naruto-kun" Jin said so casually, knowing he had the upper hand. "After all, you're the one who wanted the map, right?"

"Can you give us time to discuss this?" Sasuke asked, daring the man to refuse.

Jin laughed, "Sure." Looking at the blonde, he added "Naruto-kun, if you made up your mind then I'll see you here at past 7. And oh, wear this!" He then thrust a box into the blonde's hands.

Sasuke, disregarding manner, stood up and left. Naruto immediately followed, he preferred the wrath of his mate than the company of that pervert man.

The Uchiha heir was so mad that everyone on the street leading to the inn they were staying sensed his wrath and made way for him. His blood was boiling and he wanted to destroy something or kill someone. This mission was supposed to be simple. But thanks to his dobe, this turned out to be anything but simple. He gritted his teeth as he remembered the events that now led to their predicament.

**FLASHBACK**

"An epidemic disease is spreading at another small village in Tea Country. There is a medicine to this but the main ingredient has now been extinct. Only one man knows the location of the flower shrub," Tsunade said as she looked at them over her clasped hands.

"So where is this man? What's his name?" an ecstatic Naruto asked.

"His name is Akasaka, Jin. He is living in the first village you come across as you enter the Water Country." She then straightened in her seat and said in a powerful and serious tone, "Uchiha Sasuke, Naruto your mission is to borrow the map and get the flower shrub."

The two nodded. By mid-afternoon they had reached the Water Country and after few inquiries they were able to locate Akasaka's house and met the one they were looking for.

Jin was the son of a renowned doctor from another village who quit studying medicine to pursue arts. His father although saddened by his decision, supported him. After ten years, he retired from his profession and led a quiet life. He was a very talkative and flamboyant man, in Sasuke's opinion. In fact he was too hyper for the dark-haired lad that he let Naruto handle him. The blonde told him about epidemic disease and their mission.

Jin took a moment to sip his tea before he smiled and asked, "No. I refuse to hand over the map."

Sasuke glared at him while Naruto frowned.

"We are just going to borrow it," the younger ninja insisted.

"I know but I am not some hero who would give a keepsake of my father to some stranger."

In Sasuke's opinion the man was talkative, flamboyant **and** shallow. Before he could say anything, Naruto performed some hand seals and few seconds later there was a burst of smoke as he transformed himself into his feminine form.

"Do I look like a stranger now?" he asked in a sultry feminine voice as he posed seductively. Inwardly, Naruto smiled confidently and prepared for his victory dance knowing that no man could resist from giving into his needs and wants when he used this technique.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was annoyed especially when he felt his nose twitching. How many times did he tell his dobe not to use this technique? Not only did it distract him but also showed to others his body which by all right should only be seen by him.

Jin's eyes bulged and saliva trickled from the side of his mouth. The lust he felt for the boy the moment he laid his eyes on him just intensified as he saw him in his female form. Interesting.

"I like you," he said as he wiped his saliva from his mouth and the blood that trickled from his nose. His eyes narrowed to a cunning look as an idea came into his mind. "If you want the map badly then give me your body for one night."

**-END OF FLASHBACK**

Sasuke's reminiscence ended as he reached their inn room, followed by Naruto who obviously had made a decision.

"Sasuke, I have decided-" He yelped in surprise as his bastard none-too-gently pushed him against the closed door, his black eyes boring into his.

"I have also decided a long time ago, dobe, that you are mine," was all he said before he gave him a bruising kiss – a punishment for his foolish action. "I won't let anybody touch you."

Naruto expected another bruising kiss but all he received was a gentle passionate kiss that made his knees go weak.

"But this is the only way idiot," Naruto argued few moments later. They could not threatened the man nor lay their finger on him. As much as he hated to admit it, there was no other way.

"Then let us abort this mission. There must be another way."

The blonde clung to him, his eyes wide and desperate, "But this isn't just any mission, Sasuke. Those villagers will die. I don't want that!"

"So you are willing to risk your honor for the life of strangers?" he asked furiously. It frustrates him to no end that his dobe would do anything to save a life. _Does he only find meaning in his existence by sacrificing anything he can for any person?_

"You know the pain of losing a family so please don't let those people, even if they are strangers, feel that way!"

"You are more important to me, usuratonkanchi."

"Ne Sasuke, do you love me?"

The older shinobi stared at him, wondering why the sudden question and why their conversation led to this kind of questioning.

"If you really do love me then it doesn't matter to you what happens to my body."

Naruto and his reasoning. Really. Sasuke gripped his shoulder and shook him thrice hoping to get his message across. "Dammit! I love you that's why I won't let your body be dirtied."

He was about to convince Naruto to reconsider with his kisses but his lover pushed him away. "This isn't like any arguments where you can convince me through your ardent touches."

Sasuke glared at him and he glared back. For a full minute the two glared at each other before Sasuke looked away. "Do whatever you want." Then he left the room and for a good measure slammed it so hard that the wall near it vibrated.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke" he whispered as he pulled out a very-expensive looking kimono with artistic design and a matching shimmering obi.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

"Ah Naruto-kun, you are earlier than I expected" Jin greeted him from his backyard, obviously enthusiastic of the time they'd spend with each other. Naruto just beamed at him. Outside he looked cool but inside he was anything but that. No man had touched him intimately other than Sasuke. Wait, that didn't sound right. He never let any man intimately touch him other than the Uchiha and now that would change. And he couldn't help but dread the activity Jin planned for both of them.

"Have you eaten dinner yet?" Despite the politeness and hospitality the man showed, Naruto could see the eagerness and lust in his dull amethyst eyes. Irritation and dread made his tone clipped as he said, "Let's get this done and over with, shall we?"

The older man just smiled indulgently and taking Naruto's hand led him into his house through the back door and up to his bedroom. The shinobi was too busy giving himself a pep talk that he didn't notice how the man painstakingly prepared his bedroom for their wild night.

The room was scented with something sweet enough to tease one's nose and make him want more of it. The light in the room was emitted by many candles situated in different corners. The pristine blue silk bed sheets looked like cascading water as its edge touched to the carpeted floor.

Jin studied him openly at the same time admiring the beauty that was his for the night. "Naruto," he started softly, "if you want the map then you better make sure we both will enjoy this."

The other man gazed at him with eyes that could even seduce a saint. The vulnerable look he was giving him almost made him lost control. He never thought it was possible for a ninja to have such look. He felt Naruto stiffened as he let his fingers caressed the exposed part of his neck. "Are you sure of your decision?"

The shinobi just nodded, afraid that if he opened his mouth he'd say something of the opposite. _For the mission… for the villagers…_, he told himself.

"I'm waiting, Naruto," Jin said in a melodious voice laced with impatience.

A sexy look that rivaled of that of a palace courtesan graced his face and then he whispered oh-so softly, breathlessly, "Kiss me."

The first contact of Jin's lips against his made him want to pull away and when he felt his tongue inside his mouth, bile almost rise inside him. The only person who had done this to/with him was not there. It was just him and Jin, alone in this room. But then again, he was with Jin but that didn't mean he couldn't pretend that the brown-haired man was Sasuke. His mind took one sexy image of Sasuke from one of the cabinets labeled with his lover's name and he clung to it for his sanity's sake.

Jin paused in his gentle ministrations, surprised when the man in his arms started kissing him back with passion that matched his. Naruto looked and held his gaze, "This body is yours…" _for tonight only_, he added mentally.

He was more than pleased to hear those words. He made a quick work of his clothes, leaving the obi on him and every now and then licked on the exposed flesh, worshipping them. He pushed the blonde on the bed and gazed at his tanned and muscled body with awe before he started running his hands on the smooth skin. There was only one word that came to his lust-filled mind – perfect.

"It is always my dream to have you like this, Naruto-kun." Jin whispered as he flicked his tongue against Naruto's clavicle before nibbling his collarbone. He then moved downward with strange ease as he took his left nipple in his mouth and tweaked the right one with his hand.

Naruto swallowed the name he almost shouted as he felt his nipples being showered with attention. He arched his back wanting and demanding more. He let out a moan as Jin's tongue lowered and then paused as he found his navel. He teasingly swirled around it before plunging into it once, twice, thrice until Naruto was holding unto him.

Jin smirked and proceeded lower to kiss his inner thighs, skipping the part that most wanted his feverish attention. He sucked on the skin, making sure he left a mark. He proudly looked at it before doing it on his other inner thigh.

By then Naruto was holding onto his last piece of sanity. He arched his hips silently demanding the thing he wanted the most, making Jin chuckle.

"Please," he breathed, grabbing the man's head and guiding him to his weeping cock. Jin blew at it, making him mewl before he slowly licked at its side.

"God!" Naruto gasped as he saw specks of light at the back of his eyes.

He continued licking at the same time nibbling here and there before he deep-throated him. Naruto opened his mouth in a silent cry, his hips bucking. In and out, he went until he reached his climax and shot his load into the waiting mouth. He slumped back on the bed, his arm covering his eyes.

"You taste good, Naruto-kun," Jin said as he hovered above him. Naruto smiled and kissed him, tasting himself in the process. He moaned into the kiss as he felt cum-coated finger circling along his ring of muscles before it penetrated.

He had to give it to Jin, though. Even though this was his first time with Jin, the man was pleasuring him with such expertise even just a frail caress and he would be moaning for more. It was as if he knew his body. Naruto cursed as those fingers hit his sweet spot over and over again until he felt like coming.

"I want you on fours," the older man whispered, licking his earlobe. Naruto obeyed. He felt the tip of Jin's manhood at his entrance and bit his lips as he impaled himself with one thrust. He gripped the sheets tightly as pain and pleasure collided.

"Sasuke" he whispered so quietly.

"Pardon?" he heard Jin's voice.

He bucked his hips, hoping to make the man forget everything in case he heard the name. "Move."

"If you want to cry out my name, then don't hold back."

Jin's arrogant tone slightly cleared Naruto's desire-dazed mind. His name? Is he kidding? How can he do that when in his mind it was his husband pounding into him, fucking him senseless. He had to bit his tongue as he was showering feather-like kisses on his back, his thrusts becoming faster and deeper.

Jin pushed Naruto to lie on his side and lifted one leg so he could penetrate deeper. He felt too good. Naruto was too tight. He could feel the rush of sensations; of heat pooling on his belly. God! He felt like he wanted to let go of control but it would only ruin everything.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted without any reserve as both of them reach the zenith of their passion together. As he finally settled back on the ashes of their activity, he expected to find possessive and hungry black eyes hovering above him but when he opened his eyes, it was dull amethyst eyes staring at him. Reality caught up with him and what he had just done. He had called another man's name in the throes of passion. He had a lot to pay for this mistake.

Contrary to what he thought, Jin just smiled at him and kissed him gently as he extracted himself from the tight warmth.

"Good night, Naruto-kun," he said as he lay on the other side of the bed, totally spent.

Naruto quietly turned on his side as tears sprung in his eyes. Misery, regret and disgust caught up with him and he cried quietly. He inhaled deeply to stop the tears and then froze. He inhaled again making sure his sensitive nose wasn't going bonkers on him. He wasn't wrong, he could smell Sasuke's after-sex scent. With his pointer finger, he wiped Jin's semen that had leaked from his anus and smelled it. He could never be mistaken. The semen smelled like Sasuke's. And then everything made sense: why Sasuke never bothered to return after he walked out; why 'Jin' could make him writhe and moan or why he kept on brushing lips against the particular spot on his back. Jin was Sasuke all along. Relief and then followed by anger flooded through him, singing in his veins. He was about to hurt Sasuke when a wicked smile graced his face. Two can play this game.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The next morning, Naruto woke up in an empty bed, leisurely stretched his body and then grabbed the map on the bed table before he left through the window to start his plan for revenge. He knew his victory was decided even before he had acted on his plan and he couldn't help but grin wickedly as he entered an apparel shop.

"Good morning, Sasuke!" he cheerfully greeted his lover who had just stepped out from the bathroom. The dark-haired jounin just nodded his head in reply then silently inquired about the plastic bad the blonde was carrying.

"Oh this?" he asked between giggles then blushed, "Since Jin lent us the map, I decided to thank him when we returned the map."

The Uchiha arched an eyebrow, not liking his lover's giggles and blush. His onyx eyes curiously followed him as he went to the bathroom still carrying the paper bag.

The rustling of clothes and Naruto's cheerful voice carried through the bathroom door the blonde left ajar. "In case you are wondering bastard, Jin was kind to me last night. He treated me well. In fact too well." Then for good measure, he let out a sigh of longing. _Take that, you bastard!_ He thought, making him giggle.

The sound that was unmistakably a sigh and the giggle that followed made Sasuke almost ripped the jounin shirt he was about to put on. He knew he shouldn't be mad or jealous because he knew he was the Jin the blonde was talking about but damn him. He growled wondering what the blonde was doing in the bathroom. He got his answer few seconds later and boy! He felt like he was struck by a lightning.

Standing outside the bathroom was a scantily clad and very, very fuckable Naruto. The boy in question was wearing a very flimsy shirt that flaunted every curve of his upper body and outlined his nipples. His leather and tight short was so mini it should be referred to as boyleg, displayed the firmness of his backside and his lean but powerful legs.

With eyes that were wide with innocent seduction and in a very sexy voice, Naruto asked "What do you think, Sasuke?"

Unfortunately, Sasuke could not think. How could he when his brain collapsed when all his blood rushed south? The only reason why he remained conscious was because of his urge to take his lover over and over again until apocalypse come.

"Do you think Jin will like it?"

That question was the last straw and Naruto found himself savagely pinned against the wall and his eyes widened when he felt Sasuke's hard-on poking his belly. He looked into obsidian eyes only to find them crimson and with jealousy and anger in them. Because Naruto didn't know to stop when he should, he continued provoking his already raging mate. Licking his lips, he commented, "I used to think that you are the best, Sasuke but now I am definitely having doubts." He put on the swooning face he had mastered, thanks for spending too much time with one Sasuke-obssessed pink-haired kunoichi.

Last night, Sasuke had congratulated himself for his excellent acting but now he was cursing it with everything he had. The reason why he did what he did wasn't only because he didn't want anyone to touch what was his but also to punish his dobe for his stupid act. What was happening right now was far from what he really expected. He expected him to run into his arms regretting his decision. And when he promised not to do it again, he would then confess of his trick and placate the blonde's anger with his kisses and touches. In any case, there was no other way but for him to confess. But before he could do so, Naruto, who had been hopeful for a confession but realized it wasn't coming anytime soon, pushed him away. Suffer and die, Sasuke!

With a cute look gracing on his face he nibbled his lips before he announced, "I can't wait for Jin to see this so I might as well go there now." He walked to the door then looked at the stunned Sasuke, "Eat your lunch ahead, Uchiha."

"Naruto, wait…" he trailed off as the love of his life walked out from the door. Dammit! He couldn't let the dobe go on thinking like that. In 3 long strides he reached the door, yanked it open and found himself staring straight into deep blue eyes. He grabbed Naruto's shoulders making sure he won't get away.

"Naruto, the person you were with last night was me," he said almost in panic. "I transformed myself to Jin after putting the real one into hypnosis of the Sharingan." And to prove that what he was saying was true, he quickly performed the henge jutsu. "You even called out my name over and over again especially when you came."

At this statement, Naruto blushed but he couldn't help the smile appearing on his face. "Took you long enough to confess, bastard."

It took a few seconds for Naruto's words to register and when it did, "Why you, usuratonkachi! Do you know-"

"Do you know what I was feeling when I thought I was with Jin actually? This is your fault bastard!"

"My fault! If you didn't use your oiroke no jutsu I-"

Poor Sasuke, he never got to finish his sentence as Naruto pounced on him but he wasn't complaining.

_One fantasy down_, Sasuke thought with a smirk.

**TBC**

**-**

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**-**

**-**

**-**

He cried himself to sleep, hugging to comfort himself. When he woke up, Jin was no longer in the bed and the map was placed on the table near the bed. He hurriedly dressed himself and snatched the map, making sure it was the right one. There was no way he'd let himself be tricked after spending a night with a stranger. He knew he ought to take a bath before going home but he refused to stay any longer than necessary in this house.

"I got the map!" he cried triumphantly as he burst into his and Sasuke's room. He beamed at Sasuke who just came out from the shower, wearing nothing but boxers with a towel on his hair. Then he frowned when he saw something on Sasuke's neck and shoulders.

"Is there something wrong, dobe?" he smirked.

There was no mistaking it. Sasuke was sporting few hickeys and a couple of bites. Rage flared in him and he lunged towards his cheater of a lover ready to beat him senseless. Sasuke caught his fist, twisted it around his back and pushed them both on the bed. He pinned Naruto beneath him, making sure he won't be able to move his body.

"Fucking bastard!" He snarled, "While I am busy working to complete our mission, you are doing someone!" He twisted his body trying to free himself. "I'll definitely kill that whore!"

"Then I have no choice but to defend him," the Uchiha heir replied casually.

Him. So it was a guy and the bastard didn't even deny anything. The nerve!

His body became limp as pain filled him, hot tears fell from his eyes unbidden. Sasuke straightened and pulled him to his feet. "I'll show you to him," was all he said as he led his dobe to the mirror.

The blonde ninja blinked in confusion as his reflection stared back at him. Turning, he asked, "What do you…" He froze as standing in Sasuke's spot was Jin.

"It is always my dream to have you like this, Naruto-kun," reaching out to wipe the tears from his eyes, Jin said but this time he was wearing an Uchiha smirk. And then it dawned on Naruto. No wonder Jin knew where his erogenous spots are or why he had no hard time thinking of Sasuke. Relief flooded in him and he didn't know whether to hit Sasuke for torturing him like that or thanking him. In the end, he flung himself to his husband.

"Bastard! You never knew how I was feeling, what I was thinking all those times."

The dark-haired shinobi kissed his forehead, "Let this be your punishment for being such a dobe."

"Don't call me that!" he growled and was smothered by a long kiss. He broke the kiss as he remembered Jin.

"My God. You killed him didn't you?" he burst out, eyes accusing him.

"Of course not. If you weren't so worried and took a chance to look at his living room, you'll find him there with a stupid look on his face and exhausted." Although Sasuke thank Naruto's single-mindedness and distraction at that moment or his plan would have been ruined.

Scandalous look crossed Naruto's visage as a thought came to his mind. Sasuke knew what he was thinking, rolled his eyes and said, "Dobe. I didn't give myself to him. I am not some kind of an idiot anyway."

Naruto stucked his tongue out, "Then what? And I am not an idiot, bastard!"

Sasuke smirked arrogantly "Have you forgotten, dobe? That the Sharingan is capable of hypnosis?"

The blonde smiled sheepishly, "Thanks, Sasuke-teme" and then proceeded in kissing him.

_One fantasy down_, Sasuke thought with a smirk.

**TBC**

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And so what do you think? Way to go Sasuke! Isn't he sly? Using his mission to make his fantasy done. Very resourceful, yeah? 


	7. たった一つの願い

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, Unbeta-ed and OOC **

**Author's Notes: This chapter is very short and fluffy. To all reviewers, thanks a bunch. Your reviews warm my heart. **

**Standard Disclaimer applies **

* * *

**Chapter Seven: One and only wish **

Except for the hooting of the owls the silence of the night was deafening but soothing to Sasuke. He was perched on lowest branch of a tree as he guarded the area where he and Naruto camped before heading to the Hidden Rock Village to deliver a scroll containing some new conditions of a particular contract. Sasuke look at the moon and deducing from its position it was now midnight- July 23, his birthday. But since the massacre he no longer celebrated on such day because he was too busy getting stronger and he had no one celebrate with and then it had became a habit. It annoyed him when his admirers always celebrated and sent gifts which always ended up in the trash.

He frowned knowing that when they arrived home, he would find gifts littering the entrance. Stupid admirers. Couldn't they just leave him alone especially that he was now married?

A voice softly calling his name stopped him from thinking further. He looked down and found a grinning Naruto. In a split of second, he found the blonde sitting beside him.

"It's not yet your shift," he stated. He wanted Naruto get as much sleep as he could.

"I know..." then he trailed off to produce a cupcake, twice as big as their usual size. He lit the sole candle at stared at those surprised black eyes, "I got this from the village we last visited. It's not much given our current situation."

Sasuke smiled, his black eyes glowing like black diamonds. "It's more than enough," he replied. Naruto's presence reminded him that he not only had a reason to celebrate but he now had someone to celebrate his birthday with.

"Don't forget to make a wish," Naruto reminded him cheerfully then a slight frown upset his calm face as he commented, "What could you wish for? You have looks, talent, brain… You have everything!" He then ended it with a pout, never bothering that he had just praised his husband.

Sasuke gave a low chuckle. "I definitely have everything," he agreed in a serious tone as he meaningfully looked at his wife who immediately blushed, getting Sasuke's idea. "But I have a wish to make."

"You do?"

He just nodded as he silently made his wish and blew the candle.

"Happy birthday, bastard," Naruto greeted and leaned forward to capture Sasuke's lips. The dark-haired ninja greedily kissed back, his wish echoing within him.

_I wish for us to be together in life and even in death… forever._

* * *

See? Short and fluffy. Next chapter, Naruto to the rescue. He fears that what awaits him is the corpse of his husband. Hurry up, Naruto. 


	8. 絆

**Standard Disclaimer applies **

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, Unbeta-ed and OOC. **

**Author's Notes: Sorry, I wasn't able to update yesterday. Neechan was with me. Thank you for the reviews, people. **

**Sora-kitty: This is my reply - a big part of me wanted to have that in my fic and hmm... I guess I'll do that. **

* * *

**Chapter 8: In the middle of red and destruction **

Naruto hated it when things especially missions go awry to point that a reinforcement team is requested. He hated it even more, when the team who requested for back-up was Sasuke's. He knew first hand that Sasuke's team was one of the best within the ANBU and that Sasuke was more than competent so when Tsunade relayed the request to him, he knew it had gotten out of their hands.

He hoped when his team gets there, he won't be seeing the corpse of any Konoha ninja's especially Sasuke's. For him, letting Sasuke die was wrong and letting him die alone and in the hands of his enemies was a sin. His blue eyes darkened in determination as he swore that if his partner dies, he would dragged him back from the other world and even fight the god of death himself just to bring him back to life.

He increased his speed expecting his three members to follow. They didn't have to worry to being detected because they had concealed their chakra so perfectly that nobody not even their comrades could sense them.

When they reached the area, they couldn't help but shiver as they saw corpses lying on the now blood-soaked snow. Fortunately, their comrades, although weakened already, were still fighting against as many as they could. It was obvious that they were outnumbered and tired and any moment now, they would be nothing but powerless preys.

Naruto raised his three fingers of his right hand and his subordinates nodded, perfectly understanding the code which was only known by the four of them. When Naruto was made a captain, he gathered his three members and brainstormed with them to come up with different situations, categorize them and come up with appropriate strategies. Each strategy was perfect, efficient and flexible and would make not only Shikamaru proud but all tacticians.

The strategy they were about to implement was simple. It only required stealth and lightning-fast speed as they would attack from the outer part and moving to the inner. By the time their enemies would know of their presence, they are already dead.

Sasuke was the only one who knew that the reinforcement team had already arrived and knew who led them and all because of the way his heart skipped to recognize the presence of his mate. Such was their emotional bond. Sasuke, though low with chakra, fought with renewed vigor.

More lives were taken; more blood flowed before the clash reached its conclusion. Naruto took in his surrounding and saw his team, bearing few cuts and tending to Sasuke's team. He turned around, immediately looking for their leader and found him. Sasuke was standing amidst his dead enemies, their blood splattered on him and mixed with his but he seemed to be okay and was staring at him. Even from the distance that separating them, Naruto could feel the intensity of that gaze.

One moment they were standing separately and the next they were standing at the middle of the distance that used to separate them. They roughly shoved their mask to the side of their face and furiously clashed their lips together.

On the blood-stained snow, in the middle of the corpses and destruction caused in the battle, the two kissed each other desperately; pressed their bodies closer, wanting to feel the other and wanting to prove that they were alive; that they were not alone.

They didn't thought about the consequences of having their face partly shown nor minded the scent of death and blood hovering above the place and that they had an audience of their subordinates. To them, it was just them. Only them.

They parted for air, breaths mingling and swollen lips brushing. They thought one kiss was enough until their gazes met. Bad mistake. Their mouths came together again, hungry than ever.

When they ended the kiss, they made sure there won't be any eye contact between them as they righted each other's masks.

"Sasuke, I-"

"I know," Sasuke replied. I'm glad we're alive too.

When Naruto turned around, the two female ANBU were still giggling while the rest preferred to look around, watching for any sudden attacks.

"Sorry about that, guys," the blonde said, his voice far from having regret or embarrassment. "Shall we head home?"

They all nodded. Kuu and Shigure -, members of Naruto's team, were ahead then Sasuke's team then Naruto and his other subordinate, Mie. But before Sasuke followed his team, he brushed his hand against the blonde's – a silent word of thank you.

**TBC**

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That's it for today. I know, its not much. Next chapter is... Konoha's new pillar (now that sounds something from Tennis no Oujisama.). hehehe 


	9. 新しい柱

**Standard Disclaimer applies. SasuNaru, Yaoi, OOC and unbeta-ed. ChoujiIno **

* * *

**Chapter 9: The new pillar **

With his golden locks fluttering softly in the wind, Naruto took a deep breath and stretch his body. Staying in the office for almost a day just wasn't his thing not only because he had spent almost his life outside training and doing the actions but also because outdoors was and always would be his element. But he had to get used to staying in the office and working on paper works because from this day on forward, he was now Rokudaime – Konoha's hokage.

He watched the bustling village he had sworn to protect as the day's almost-surreal event came back to him.

**-FLASHBACK-**

Naruto woke up feeling emotionally tired after one particular mission. He opened his left eye when he smelled something sweet from the other side of the bed. He smiled when he saw a big bouquet of red roses lying on Sasuke's side of the bed. He then started thinking of romantic candlelight dinner for two and soaking in the tub together. He sighed dreamily.

Deciding to get some cocoa before sleeping again, he casually walked towards the kitchen, unmindful of his naked state. When one was married to a pervert, walking naked around the house would become as natural as breathing.

He grabbed a cup and poured himself a drink before he returned to their bedroom, totally ignoring the incessant ringing of the doorbell. He didn't feel like entertaining guests or seeing anyone except his husband who by now was reporting to the old hag.

He placed the mug on the bedside table and settled back in the bed. He smiled in victory when the knocks stopped. He was about to drift to sleep when he heard tapping on the window on the left side of the room. He cursed the bird for doing that and swore that if it won't stop any second now, that stupid winged-animal would find itself grilled. Much to his pleasure, the noise stopped and an annoyed voice came.

"Naruto."

The blonde's reaction was instantaneous. He flung the blanket aside, grabbed the kunai under the pillow and stood up, ready to defend and attack. But all see saw was an annoyed Shikamaru and a gaping Ino.

"Why didn't you answer the door?" he asked. A second ago, he had been wondering why he was tasked to wake up the blonde and not Sasuke who was doing some other errand and now he knew. Naruto, who had returned to his sleepy state when he saw that his guests weren't a threat, looked too cute for Sasuke's sanity.

"Sleepy and tired," was the other man's reply before he took noticed that Ino was goggling at him. Smirking he said, "Wouldn't Chouji be heartbroken when he learns that you are drooling at my form?"

Ino flushed in embarrassment and half-shouted the best blow she could come up with her state, "What would Sasuke say if he finds out that you are naked so early in the morning?"

Grabbing a robe, Naruto replied, "Who do you think put me in this state?"

Ino blushed redder.

"So troublesome. Naruto, Tsunade-sama summons you," Shikamaru said, wanting to get this done and over with. Besides, he never like the idea of being scolded by the Hokage for bringing the blonde late and all because these two were arguing for trifling matters.

"Didn't the old hag know that today is my rest day?"

"Just hurry up."

"Fine… fine…. Just let me have a quick shower" Naruto said as he started grabbing a pair of his uniform and muttering about inconsiderate leader, all the way to the bathroom.

Ino looked around the room, the thought that she was in Sasuke's bedroom echoed loudly and flashed brightly in her mind. Although she had given up on the dark-haired ninja, it wouldn't hurt if she had something that could be taken as a remembrance right? Right. Definitely. She stopped the urge of rubbing her hands together as she started considering what she could take.

Shikamaru noticed the glint in those pale blue eyes and knew it meant trouble. He quickly weighed which was more troublesome: stopping her from whatever goal she had and getting bruised all over or dealing with a pissed-off powerful couple. Cursing under his breath, he dragged his female friend towards the window. "We'll wait outside," he shouted over his shoulder.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

As implied by the lazy ninja, Naruto walked into one of the meeting rooms in the Hokage tower, all the time wondering what he did to be scolded not only the Hokage herself but also by the elders.

"Uchiha, Naruto, stand at the middle," Tsunade commanded in her strong voice.

"What did I do, old hag?" he asked in confusion as he followed the order. He thought it was totally weird when Tsunade just smiled leniently at him instead of blowing at him for the insult. He felt like he had walked into some play of which he had no idea what role he was playing. His 'big sister' stood in front of him and placed a hand on his left shoulder.

"From this day forward, Konoha's welfare is in your hands. You are now known as Uchiha Naruto, Rokudaime."

Naruto gaped. Did he hear it right? Did she just refer him as the Rokudaime? And while he tried to digest the announcement, he watched like a mere observer, instead of participant, as Tsunade draped on him a white long coat. The coat had a painting of red to orange flames licking at its edge, both sides of the coat bear the village symbol and on its back were the Kanji characters of rokudaime in perfect and elegant calligraphy. He glanced at the elders who were nodding at him approvingly then at Tsunade.

"Sandaime and Yondaime are proud of you, Naruto. I'm sure of it," she whispered, not fighting the tears that fell on her cheeks. The male blonde gathered her in his arms.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

When Naruto walked into the rooftop of the building to present himself to the villagers gathered down below, he saw all of his close friends and his husband there waiting at him. No, not friends because they were not smiling at him. In fact when they saw him, they, as his subordinates, all bowed in reverence and obedience. He looked at the far side of his left and saw Jiraiya, giving him a thumbs-up sign and he mirrored it.

They all watched him as he walked closer to the railing and looked down at all the villagers, ninjas and civilians, gathered to pay respect to their new hokage.

"The new pillar of Konoha," Tsunade proudly announced in her loud voice. Her announcement was welcomed with loud applause.

When the inauguration was over, Naruto turned around and this time he found his friends smiling at him and crowding around him saying their congratulations. He looked at the two of the five faces carved on the Hokage mountain.

Old man, father, I finally made it. From here, I'm going to be the best Hokage Konoha will ever have, he thought mentally. And he thought he heard two voices whispering to him that he would if he strives for it.

**-END OF FLASHBACK-**

"Slacking on your first day of work?" he heard Sasuke as he felt arms wrapping around his waist. Naruto leaned against his mate's chest and said, "I just wanted to watch the sunset."

"It had already set five minutes ago, dobe. We have to head home now before our guests arrive."

Naruto nodded, suddenly remembering that their friends were celebrating with them not only his promotion but also for their first wedding anniversary. So much for romantic candlelight dinner for two, he thought.

Turning around to face Sasuke, Naruto grinned. "Thank you for the flowers, Sasuke and happy anniversary too!" then he leaned up to give him a sweet kiss.

* * *

I didn't like how this turned out to be but this was all I could come up. I'll make it up for the next chapter.

Next chapter summary: Between kicking enemies' butts and taking the first step of discussing their marital problems, Naruto and Sasuke will choose the former anytime of the day. The two had slipped into a habit in finding their work as a sanctuary from their dying marriage because neither one of them was courageous enough to bring up the topic. Is it time to say good-bye?


	10. もういないのか？

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, Unbeta-ed and OOC. ShikaTemari, KakaIru. **

**Standard Disclaimer applies. **

**Author's notes: guys, are you still enjoying this? Thank you for your reviews. -smiles- **

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**Chapter 10: Are 'we' still existing? **

Whether they wanted to admit or not, all Konoha villagers agreed that as volatile as Naruto and Sasuke were they were the best or the most perfect couple, with both of them loving and caring each other. They were so engrossed with the couple's glossy image that they couldn't see the real state of their marriage – dying.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

Sasuke never bothered to look up from his breakfast when he heard the front door slam, an announcement that his wife - no he could no longer call him that, already left for work without eating his breakfast or bidding him goodbye. Not that he minded. He used to and at that time it hurt a lot. In Naruto's absence and in his commitment to his role as the hokage, loneliness echoed within the house and within him; their togetherness that had disappeared, haunting him and the only way he knew how to deal with them was getting more missions, just so he could stay away from home. No not home, Sasuke reminded himself cruelly. It had stopped being one almost six months ago. It was just a house now.

He couldn't believe that their profession that brought them together was the reason that tore them apart. No, not profession. What tore them apart was Naruto's dream which had now become reality. He had been happy for Naruto and when the blonde became busy, Sasuke had understood but then it became a habit and before they both know it, they had fallen into a dangerous pattern of avoiding each other like plagues and treating each other politely like strangers. It was obvious that their marriage was heading towards destruction and what scared Sasuke most was that he no longer gave a damn. He looked at his golden ring which held a little bit of meaning to him.

_How long, Naruto, before our circle breaks?_

Naruto left the house without a backward glance, even when his stomach and his heart wanted to go back there but how could he when there was that stranger in the house, a stranger looking like his husband but not acting like him. No not all. Where did his Sasuke went to? First four months of his being rokudaime, had been busy. His days were full of meetings, paper works and dealing with matters regarding the transition of power from Tsunade to him. When everything was settled, he found Sasuke gone and the one waiting for him home was someone else. No not home, he told himself bitterly. It had stopped being one when Sasuke left without a trace and the only reason he stayed there when he wanted to transfer to an apartment was the hope that one day Sasuke would return. Until then he would bury himself with work to keep the loneliness at bay.

He looked at his ring wondering if it was still special to Sasuke just as it had back then.

_How long, Sasuke, before our circle breaks into halves?_

**- SasuNaru is love -**

When day started to shift into the night and the red-orange sunlight beamed through Naruto's office, Sasuke in his full ANBU uniform stepped inside. He bowed and it made the blonde's heart flinched.

"The mission was accomplished as planned, hokage-sama," Sasuke reported as he offered the scroll containing his report. "No one got injured as well."

Hokage… that was all he was to Sasuke. Damn bastard! And Naruto decided to play the bastard's game just to hide his pain away. "Thank you for your hard work captain."

Sasuke seethed inside. Captain! That was all he was to Naruto and man, that hurt a lot, hurt more than any attack he had received so far in his life. But he decided to continue the blonde's game.

"Would that be all?"

_No! I want you to stay and look at me like you used to. I want you to tell me what happened to you, to us_, he thought and he wanted to say that but his wounded pride wouldn't let him. He just dismiss him with a nod of his head which Sasuke understood perfectly well, after all that's what Naruto had been doing for quite a long time now.

He walked, half expecting the blonde to call him, to make him stay so they could talk what went wrong with them but it didn't came… it never did and Sasuke wondered how long would it take before he would stop expecting something from Naruto.

_How long, Naruto?_

**- SasuNaru is love -**

Iruka got up from his comfortable position on the couch when his doorbell rang. He wondered who dared to disturb his rest time. God knows he needed one before Kakashi would slyly make him participate in the latter's activity. He opened the door and found his 'son'.

"Naruto?" He was surprised with the surprise visit.

"Am I disturbing you?"

"No, not at all," he replied, gone was his need to rest.

Both of them settled in the kitchen as Iruka prepared a light snack for both of them. Naruto glanced around the place. Everywhere even the smallest corner screamed of affection between his two favorite teachers. Iruka was married to Kakashi for five years now and yet they had not drifted apart like how he and Sasuke were at that moment. If there was a relationship that deserved to be called the best, it should be theirs. Naruto nodded his head in silent agreement with his thoughts. Out of the blue, he decided to tell Iruka how his marriage was and probably asked him some advice.

"Ne, sensei…" he trailed, his courage disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. Watching at that expectant look on the other man's face, Naruto knew he couldn't continue. He just couldn't. Admitting to himself that his marriage was on the rocks and admitting the same thing to someone were two different things. The latter was as good as admitting that Sasuke was no longer interested in him and his pride wouldn't let anyone know that painful truth… not yet.

"I was just wondering if you could teach me that delicious blueberry pie you sent to our house two days ago."

Iruka beamed at him positively. Although he called himself as Naruto's father he could not see through the mask – of being happily married, his son had so perfected.

_When had you become deaf to my cries, Sasuke?_

**- SasuNaru is love -**

At one of the bars located at the other side of the town, sat Sasuke and Shikamaru. Both men were slowly drinking in companionable silence. They had been there for almost an hour now and none had started a conversation after they talked about their latest missions.

Sasuke arched his brow when Shikamura stood up from his chair.

"I have to go. Temari will have my head if I won't get home by seven to eat dinner with the kids. Said it would set a bad example to them," he explained lazily.

Sasuke just nodded in understanding when in fact he didn't. The glint that reflected from his ring caught his attention and he looked at the band. Slowly, his other hand moved towards it and fingers moved them a bit upward. No he didn't remove it. Ever since Naruto slid it into his slim finger, he never removed it. He looked at the pale ghost of a ring on his skin and touched it wondering if it would disappear when he and Naruto would go their separate ways or would it stay to remind him of his once wonderful dream. He replaced his ring and let his fingers continue touching them, feeling its smooth texture. Were the flames of their marriage completely extinguished now and beyond saving?

Sasuke looked up when he felt someone slipped into the seat in front of him. He was met with a lazy grin. He nodded his head to Kakashi who was bringing a bottle of sake. Kakashi looked around before he smilingly asked, "Where's your blonde?"

And if Sasuke didn't know that nobody knows the state of his marriage, he would have thought that the silver-haired jounin was mocking him. His blonde? His? Was Naruto still his? Could he still call him his? The glint from his wedding ring answered his question positively. As long as they both they still wore the ring, they still belong to each other and from what he could see, Naruto still was but for how long?

"He's probably still in the office. He usually gets home by seven," he said confidently although he didn't know where Naruto was. The dobe had stopped informing him where he was going for the day and he had no time to track him, much less asked him. What little free time he had, he spent them brooding over his dead marriage.

He looked at his former teacher wanting to tell him everything that was hidden from the public but he couldn't. Telling him would be admitting that he had lost Naruto's affection and he didn't want anyone to know. For as long as he could, he wanted to let everybody believe that his union with the hokage was still a bliss so he continued on wearing that mask that tell everybody that.

_When did I stop existing in your eyes, Naruto?_

**- SasuNaru is love -**

Their bedroom which was supposed to be filled with sounds of pleasures or small talks was now filled with rustling sounds of papers as Naruto poured his attention on his paperwork while Sasuke poured his on his scrolls. The room's atmosphere wasn't tense… it was just as dead and silent as their marriage.

Sasuke took a sideway glance at the other occupant on the room, expecting and hoping and he hated himself for that. He wanted to talk but something was stopping himself from doing so. He looked at the clock and decided to call it a night. He cleaned the area of his room before he settled on their bed. Yes, he and Naruto still share a bed, blanket… everything but their time and attention.

Naruto sighed mentally. He had waited Sasuke to approach because he was sick of doing the approaching only to be implicitly, subtly and wordlessly turned away. But much to his growing frustration, the bastard just read some scrolls before he went to bed. Worse, he didn't even invite him to their bed, much less bid him good night. Sasuke was there with him all right but at the same time never there.

_When did you disappear, Sasuke? How long can I endure this?_

Afraid that he might strangle his pathetic husband, he gathered his papers and left the room. He never heard the sigh that tumbled from Sasuke's lips.

The ANBU captain had waited for the blonde to join in the bed and perhaps they could start talking, he sighed some more and made sure he stayed within his territory in the bed. He growled, when did they start getting so territorial anyway?

_How long can we pretend, Naruto?_

So the two were miserable and would continue to be so until they would start speaking like a couple. How could they, so powerful and brave, get so scared of bringing up the topic of their marriage? They kicked the butts of Orochimaru and his lackeys and even that of Akatsuki members and could even easily kill S-rank missing-nins yet when it comes to their marital problem, they completely steered away hoping that the other would make a move first. They were miserable… they were pathetic and every moment that they spent waiting and angsting, their marriage's speed towards destruction increased.

**TBC**

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How was it? 


	11. もし。。。

**SasuNaru, Yaoi and Unbeta-ed **

**Standard Disclaimer Applies **

**Author's notes: Guys, thank you so much for the reviews. I know I promised that I would update everyday but I am experiencing system crashes everytime I turn on the PC and it just frustrates me. Next update would be on Thursday - May 18, 15:00 (JST) **

* * *

**Chapter 11: If…**

Eight months of pretension and their friends were still clueless of their marriage's state or that the couple was dying inside. But then could they be blamed? These two were good at pretending and fooling everybody even themselves.

For a moment, Naruto looked up from the mission report he was reading to look at his ring. A part of him wanted to get a divorce. Divorce was something better than a marriage to Sasuke who had stop treating him as his mate. It was the only way he could to save themselves from this farce marriage and from the misery that went with it. Another part of him clung to hope that things would be better, that someday Sasuke would look at him like he really existed in his life.

He looked up from his ring when he heard his office door slammed to the wall as Sakura burst into the room. Naruto could see her eyes were puffy and traces of tears were on his face. What was wrong now? he thought.

"Naruto," she started then placed a scroll on his table. "Sasuke's team arrived from the mission and here's the scroll. He couldn't give it you personally because the team was all injured."

_Injured_? Naruto thought and then he knew why Sakura cried – Sasuke was hurt enough to make Sakura cry that hard. Without thinking of anything, he left his office never bothering to ask Sakura further.

Sakura grumbled as she rubbed her stringing eyes. Why now, of all time, did she stumble and got her eyes poked by some twigs causing her to cry much?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

While Naruto ran towards the hospital, his heart and mind also raced through different situations that have similar ending – Sasuke's death. A strangled cry came from his mouth and his view blurred with unshed tears. No he couldn't let Sasuke go; couldn't bear for Sasuke to leave him, alone. Damn stupid, fucking bastard, leaving him like this.

He burst into the room and saw Sasuke sitting on a stool with a male medic-nin working on his cuts. He had bandages around his chest, both of his arms and gauze on his forehead but he was okay and alive. Relief flooded through him like lava and Naruto felt himself free.

Sasuke looked up to find Naruto there and he was surprise. He never thought he cared for him enough to abandon his work. But when those eyes brightened with relief, Sasuke knew that there was still hope to make this marriage work. He watched in fascination when those blue eyes darken with love and he knew his eyes were mirroring that emotion.

_I love you… I still do… More than yesterday, less than tomorrow, their hearts declared through their eyes._

For the first time in eight months, they were looking at, not through, each other and they felt like the sun had finally shone on them. They had found their lost mate.

Unfortunately, the male medic-nin was clueless and he thought the sudden increase of tension was caused by the fact that the captain was injured and the hokage was not pleased with it. Bowing to his leader, he immediately left the room, not wanting to be caught in the middle when they would start quarreling. He then warned his colleagues not to enter or get near the room.

Slowly teardrops wet Naruto's cheeks as he moved towards his long-lost partner. "I thought you were going to die." He grabbed his chest, "It hurts, Sasuke. Just even the thought of it."

Sasuke pulled Naruto to sit on his lap and started wiping those tears away. "Have you forgotten already, dobe?" He could clearly hear the promise Naruto made a long time ago as if he just made it.

**_When you die, Sasuke, I'll be there to die with you._**

"I couldn't die… not when you are not by my side to die with me."

Naruto gaped at him, surprised that he could still remember such promise. He breathed his name before he leaned forward to press his lips and when he did, everything caught and exploded into fire.

They were viciously tearing each other's clothes, kissing and tasting hungrily like a starved man on a feast. Every touch was rough, quick and aggressive – testimony of how much they were longing for each other, wanted each other.

Making love on a stool was kinky and hot but it was not enough because he wanted to reach deeper… deep enough to touch Naruto's heart. He wanted to prove that he still love him. He carried the blonde to the nearest bed and placed him horizontally.

In the middle of their desperate and furious lovemaking, both of theirs hands came into contact with each other and ended up entwined tightly just like their bodies. They fit right… it felt right, perfect and everything that made things heavenly.

After a moment of trying to get their bearings back, Naruto noticed that some of Sasuke's wound opened up and were now staining the white bandages. He placed his hands on his chest to push his mate away so he could get up and take care of them but Sasuke wouldn't budge.

"Your wounds are bleeding," he stated.

"I want to feel you longer…" Sasuke muttered, brushing his lips against his neck, "… more."

Sighing, Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke and tightened his legs around his waist. "I know Sasuke… I do too."

Still intimately connected, Sasuke straightened from his position, carrying Naruto with him. The blonde performed a simple hand seal and two clones appeared. The two immediately picked up their clothing and hand it over to Naruto who giggled like a child who just committed a wonderful trick. The clones disappeared and so did the couple leaving no traces of their delicious activity.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The next day, Neji stepped into the Hokage's office only to find Konohamaru, Naruto's assistant, alone. He arched an eyebrow as a silent inquiry.

"Big bro, I mean, Naruto-sama decided to stay at home to look after his husband," Konohamaru informed, trying to fight back the blush that had been appearing since early morning. When Naruto was late, he had decided to pick him up. But when nobody answered the door, he decided to knock on his bedroom window and found his brother busy tending to the needs of one very aroused Uchiha.

"I heard that Sasuke had been injured but not fatally," the Hyuuga genius commented wondering what made Naruto stay until he noticed the younger man's blush. He smirked knowingly, nodded his head in understanding and left the room.

**-TBC**

* * *

Hehehe. As you notice, there was no sorry or any discussion so this is just a ceasefire. I don't know how long this 'peace' would last when the insecurity Sasuke feels is getting the better of him. 


	12. ここに待っています

**Standard Disclaimer applies. **

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, OOC and unbeta-read **

**To all reviewers, thank you very much. Your reviews always give me courage to continue posting. Sorry for the late update. **

* * *

**Chapter 12: Living in the past**

The beam of sunlight that filtered through the window above the bed woke Naruto up. Yawning, he stretched his body getting rid of the kinks before he scooted to Sasuke's side of the bed for some morning cuddle only to find that he was alone.

The intense heaviness of his heart told him what the day means to his mate and where he was. As much as he wanted to go to the Nakano shrine and comfort him he didn't. Although the place was not off limits to him, he never went there, much less even thought of doing so. To him the place was something sacred and his presence- the presence of an Uchiha by mere marriage would desecrate it. Besides even though his company was not unwelcome he knew Sasuke wanted to be alone and brood. And Naruto would let him for just this day.

He could feel the gloominess emanating not only from the house but from the whole estate as everything within moaned for the atrocity they had witnessed years ago. The whole negative atmosphere dampened his mood making his blue eyes darken. Not wanting to be suffocated, he decided to leave the place immediately after he had taken a shower. He would take his breakfast at Iruka-sensei's place knowing that the teacher and Kakashi wouldn't mind his sudden visit.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The silence within the secret meeting place of the Uchiha clan contrasted the emotional turbulence of its only visitor since the Uchiha bloodbath. Sasuke didn't fight the onslaught of bittersweet memories or the images of the death of his clan. The pain evoked by these memories couldn't b washed away by the memory of how Itachi died by his hands. In fact remembering that intensified the pain.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

By the end of the day Sasuke came out from the room and found out it was raining hard. Shrugging, he walked towards the main door of the shrine. He stopped when he saw someone standing outside, an umbrella shielding him from the rain.

Naruto, who had been waiting for Sasuke for quite awhile now, turned around when he felt his presence. The smile that Naruto sent to Sasuke made the latter think that the sun was no longer hidden by dark clouds.

"Sasuke" Naruto called out then started running to his mate.

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered as the blonde stood in front of him. His dobe pouted before he explained, "It's raining and since you are not bringing an umbrella, I decided to come here."

"Thanks." And Naruto knew the dark-haired ninja was thanking not only for the umbrella .He leaned up on his toes to kiss both of Sasuke's puffy eyes before adding, "Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei invited us for dinner and I agreed. I hope you don't mind." Naruto then ended it with a pout and a puppy eyes that a small smile tugged at the corner of Sasuke's lips.

"I don't."

He reached for the umbrella Naruto used instead of the extra the latter brought for him. Then, he slung his arm around his dobe and together they walked away from his past only to be revisited again next year.

**TBC**

It was very short, ne?


	13. 大切な人

**Standard Disclaimer applies. **

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, OOC and unbeta-ed **

**Author's Notes: To be honest, the number of reviews scares me because it shows that a lot of people are reading this and the need to meet everybody's expectation is getting stronger but rest assured that the reason why I am writing this has not changed. Anyway, I am glad that you guys are enjoying this. To one of my anonymous reviewer, Suri: I'll correct the mistake I committed ASAP. Thank you for pointing that out. **

* * *

**Chapter 13: Because you are important to me**

_My greatest secret desire is for you to be mine alone…_

In a candle-lit room that reeked with the scent of sex and sweat, comfortable silence was broken by soft pants as the occupants steadied their breathing after attaining a mind-blowing orgasm.

A very satiated Sasuke who was still intimately connected with Naruto lazily doodled on the latter's back as he savored the moment with his lover who knew would be leaving soon. It was moments like this that he wished things were like what they were 2 years ago.

Few months ago, his only competition for the blonde's affection and attention was ramen and spending time with the blonde in anyway and anytime they wanted posed no problem. He had the blonde all by himself whether they were doing training or resting. But all of that had changed when Naruto became Rokudaime.

When he became the hokage, Sasuke's competition for his time, attention and love was Konoha and he found it very hard to win over the village. The only time his blonde automatically accommodate him in his hectic schedule was when he came back after missions that would take him away from the village 3 days and above, like right now.

When Naruto straddled him, he nibbled the inside of his mouth to stop himself from asking the blonde to stay longer. He wanted to reach out and pull him back when he moved away from the bed but he knew it was futile so he just watched as his wife put on his clothes.

He knew on those shoulders that bear his marks were the welfare of the village; dreams and aspirations of each villager; the trust and demands of his subordinates and his responsibilities as a hokage. Naruto's heart and body did not belong to either of them, he knew that but sometimes his possessive personality and the part that wanted to be pampered needed to be the center of the blonde's everything. He wanted to burn the hokage robe that Naruto just carefully donned and proudly wore. He just wanted Naruto to be his… always his, only his.

Naruto gave Sasuke a blinding smile then arched an eyebrow when he noticed the latter's scowl. He went to the bed and hovered above the dark-haired ninja.

"Sasuke bastard, you look like something precious was taken away from you."

"Yeah, you!" he growled. It didn't matter if he sounded so jealous because in reality he was. He just couldn't stop this wretched emotion.

The blonde gave him an apologetic look, "Sasuke-"

"Go now, Naruto. You are needed by the village," he said, jealousy now dripping from his voice.

"Sasuke, when I became Rokudaime I didn't give my soul, couldn't give it even if I wanted to because you already owned it," having said that with conviction, he gave his husband a gentle kiss before he disappeared to attend to his duty.

Sasuke remained frozen until his dobe's words finally registered in his mind and when they did, happiness fluttered in his heart like thousands of butterfly. Grinning, he grabbed and hugged the blonde's pillow, inhaling his scent. With Naruto's words echoing softly in his mind, he soon fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

Sasuke looked over the village he had sworn to protect since he returned from Orochimaru, his hands itching to destroy the village. Everyday he found his hatred towards Konoha increasing. For him, the village was a threat to his relationship with Naruto and his instincts told him to eliminate all threats to protect what was precious to him.

What would happen if he gave in to his urge? How would Naruto react when he learned that it was his husband who was destroying the village? Would he fight him? Sasuke didn't have to ponder the answer to that last question. He was utterly convinced that Naruto would fight him and would even go as far as killing him and that made Sasuke hate Konoha more. He realized that he couldn't win against Konoha in any way. Dammit.

"Sasuke, what are you thinking?" he heard Naruto asked childishly as the latter joined him in the Hokage mountain.

"I just realized that I couldn't win against this village no matter what I do," he replied with his voice carrying a pain of betrayal. How could his village take away the only person that mattered to him?

Naruto frowned. He knew Sasuke was insecure and at first, he thought it was cute. Who knew that the all mighty Uchiha could get so insecure? But such insecurity happened so frequently that the novelty of the idea was gone within a month but he endured it all until now.

"Would you get over that insecurity already? I am already tired of trying to assure you almost every week!"

Sasuke didn't miss the exasperation in the blonde's voice and that angered him. He glared at that beautiful face and snapped, "It's your being Hokage that made me like this. If you care to think about things that has nothing to do with this damned village, you'd realize that it's your position that is ruining things between us!"

Anger flared in his blue eyes making them too dark for comfort. Unable to stop himself, he punched Sasuke and never even bothered helping him to stand up when he landed on the ground.

"And I'm surprise that in your reflection of this marriage, you never even thought that it was half of my fault as it is yours. Have you forgotten that it was you who spend your time so much with the mission, leaving me all alone? It seemed to me that your work had become your wife, Sasuke!" There was jealousy in his voice now. Jealousy and pain.

"Because you were never there when I needed you!"

"And I supposed you were there when I needed you too?"

Two pairs of angry eyes clashed with one another for a full minute before Sasuke turned away. "You'd never understand what I'm feeling, Naruto."

That statement irritated the blonde more. "Never?" he echoed darkly. There were a lot of things he had bottled within him, things he thought were inappropriate to be brought up between him and Sasuke but this time, he couldn't stop himself.

"Then tell me what I was feeling when all you could think about was Itachi this, Itachi that, revenge, the need to be stronger and power?" he demanded, his voice getting louder. Sasuke just stared at him, surprised to hear Naruto's confession.

"What was I feeling then when I realized that you were too blinded to even see that I cared for you more than as your rival; as your teammate or as your friend? Or when you went to Orochimaru? Or when youfought against Itachi and all I could do was watch in fear knowing that my feelings, no matter how strong they are, couldn't reach the world that traitor created for you? Or when you spend too much with your ANBU team? Or when you spend so much of your time with missions?"

Sasuke continued staring at his spouse. All of Naruto's words were registered in his mind but he couldn't stop thinking that he was so beautiful in his angry confession. He wanted to reach out and he did but Naruto didn't want the touch.

"All these times, did I ask for any assurance? Did I need assurance that I was not a nobody in your eyes? That I was your rival, your teammate, your friend and your wife?"

"No, you didn't."

"Because I don't need them, Sasuke. I just watched you walked away never running after you except when you left for Orochimaru or leaving the place where you left me because I know that you would return to me because my stupidity told me that I am your home." With that said, Naruto left.

Sasuke stared at the ground where his spouse once stood, feeling ashamed of himself and proud of Naruto. Naruto's last sentences showed his maturity and compared to the blonde, the Uchiha found himself so immature. Also, for many years, his blonde had suffered insecurity yet he was still confident while he, on the other hand, was suffering that feeling for few months and couldn't even endure it. How pathetic of him. He had to give it to Naruto. He was strong… stronger than Sasuke could ever be and the dark-haired ninja found himself falling in love deeper if that was possible.

He decided to apologize to Naruto so he went to the hokage's office where he knew the blonde was. When he walked into the office, Naruto straightened immediately, shove a paper across the table and indicated for him to read it. Sasuke glancedat the paper and his eyes widened as few words glared at him. He felt his heart beating faster and louder, he could feel the veins in his head pulsating and he suddenly felt light-headed.

What had he done?

He looked at Naruto wondering if it was joke but all he saw in those blue pools was fierce determination. It was obvious that Naruto finally made his decision.

"Clearly say it Sasuke if you want me to resign. The moment you do, I will immediately send this to the council. I'd throw, give or surrender anything even my life and dream just to make you stay with me because dammit, bastard, no matter how I think about it, I couldn't be me without you."

He looked at his love then back at the paper. The ball was in his hands now. Could he allow Naruto to do this without regretting it at the end? Without hating himself for being so selfish and immature? Could he do it?

He stole a glance from Naruto once more and he observed that he was as firm as before and he was looking at him, not with hatred but with compassion, understanding and love. And then it hit Sasuke. All this time he had been wanting assurances when the perfect assurance was right in front of him – Naruto's love. Naruto loved him so much that he wouldn't mind giving up the thing he wanted the most since he was still a child.

**_Sasuke, when I became Rokudaime I didn't give my soul, couldn't give it even if I wanted to because you already owned it._**

He finally understand what those words mean and damned him for being so blind with insecurity that he couldn't see the glaring truth.

Naruto heard the paper being torn into two before he felt himself pulled against a familiar hard chest and surrounded by warm arms.

"You can be the hokage as long as you want, Naruto because it's okay now. I finally understand your words," Sasuke whispered.

Naruto leaned against him, "For a genius, it took you long enough, bastard!"

"You bring the best and worst in me, dobe."

The blonde sighed and settled his head against his partner's left shoulder. "I'm sorry for the right hook and for the outburst," he said, his breath fanning against Sasuke's neck and he planted a soft skin against the creamy skin.

Sasuke's hold tightened, "I'm sorry for outburst too and for being immature." He slightly turned his head to deliver a kiss on Naruto's right temple.

"I'm sorry for making you feel insecure because of the job." Another brush of lips against his neck.

"I'm sorry for making you feel that way too for god knows how long." Another peck on the temple.

They fell silent for a few seconds before Naruto chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

Naruto slightly leaned back and replied "I just find our situation amusing."

The ANBU Captain was about to comment that he didn't see it that way when he felt a slim pointer finger placed against his lips and he found being swallowed up by blue pools dancing in mirth.

"Just kiss me, bastard."

And Sasuke did.

**TBC**

* * *

I think this is the time that I should bid goodbye to some of you guys because from here on, the story covers (the dreaded?) male pregnancy. I could have continued this fic as it is - just the two of them but the adventurous side of me wanted to try MPREG. - smiles - But despite MPREG, the fic still focuses more on their interaction as a married couple. Anyway, thank you and goodbye. It had been fun. 


	14. 二人の欲しい物

**Standard Disclaimer applies. **

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, Mpreg, OOC and Unbeta-read **

**Author's notes: Hmm... I'd like to consider this as the start of season 2 of this fic as it now involves their children. However, just as I mentioned at the end of Chapter 13, the focus of the fic is still the interaction of the two as a couple so there is no need to change it to Uchiha family. By the way, the interaction between Kyuubi and Naruto might be confusing but I wanted it to be just like that so I apologize for my selfishness. **

**Replies to my annonymous reviewers: **

**Jenn - I was a bit worried but now i'm not. thanks.  
Sorakitty - Sorry for making you wait this long.  
Lambentness - Thank you. Since you are staying just grab any food you want  
mike - I'm glad that you are. I was supposed to use "heart" but I think "soul" was better, ne?  
yamikat - I was trying to settle things between the two of them first so that's why it took quite a while for mpreg to come up. **

**People, thank you for your support from here on. (Is it too early to say that?) -sighs- **

* * *

**Chapter 14: Confession**

All friends of Kiba and Hinata Hyuuga were all gathered in the main house to celebrate the 1st birthday of their first child, Hisayuki.

The Hokage, being busy with his work, was the last person to arrive. Instead of going straight to the room where the males were gathered, he decided to say his hello to the girls. He said his hello and then he found Hisayuki wanting to carry that he couldn't resist indulging the little boy. Play

Sasuke's brows slightly furrowed when he never saw Naruto walking inside the room. Five minutes ago, his heart had announced his mate's arrival.

"Where's Naruto, anyway?" Kiba, the Hyuuga heir by marriage, wondered out loud. The blonde's absence was the only thing that stopped Chouji from announcing something.

Sasuke sighed, "He's here. I'll get him."

When Sasuke stepped into the room, his heart melted when he saw Naruto carrying Hisayuki. Naruto had his head lowered and was making baby noises. His wife looked so adorable like that, that his want to have child of their own intensified. If only Naruto could… he shook his head. When he had decided to act on his love for the blonde, he had decided to abandon his plan to revive his clan. He never mentioned his want to have a child not wanting to upset or make Naruto insecure of what he could never be… could never give.

Naruto looked up from that very innocent and very adorable face as he felt Sasuke. There was just something about him that never failed to fill the room, regardless with its size, with his presence. Naruto grinned at him and watched as his husband strode towards them.

Sasuke gave him a quick peck on his forehead, "How was work, dobe?"

"Headache-inducing. How was the mission, bastard?" he replied just as quietly, not wanting to upset the child in his arms.

"Sleep-inducing." Sasuke looked at the little boy who was waving his hands towards him and started gurgling little noises. "Look at that? Hisa-chan likes bastards too."

"How could he not when he loves idiots?" was Sasuke's reply and he offered his finger for the little hands to play with.

All the girls, Hinata, Tenten, Ino and Sakura were getting dreamy with the scene playing in front of them. They all agreed that the three looked like a family, too bad that Naruto couldn't sire a child.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After the party, the Uchiha couple walked hand in hand towards their home.

**He doesn't want a child.  
How would you know, kit? You never ask. You just assumed just as he assumed you couldn't sire a child.  
I couldn't but you could make me.  
Don't get smart with me, brat. **

Sasuke was surprised when Naruto suddenly stopped, pulling back so that both their arms were extended, linked only by warm fingers. Naruto's ring glistened under the moonlight.

"Tell me what you want," Naruto stated.

"No, tell me what you want?" Sasuke said but his mate was stubborn so, he suggested, "On the count of three?"

Naruto nodded. They silently counted while their hearts picked up speed.

"I want a child of our own," they both said and they looked surprised as they heard the other's answer.

**You see kit, he does. And you would have one by now, if you didn't stop me from giving you the part you needed.  
I thought he didn't want it.  
Well, you thought wrong.  
Just do your thing now.  
With pleasure, kit. With pleasure. **

"Actually Sasuke, I couldn't get pregnant," Naruto explained, his eyes were on anything but his husband.

"I know," Sasuke replied, his voice void of disappointment.

"But, Kyuubi can make me."

"He can?"

Naruto was about to explain the situation but Sasuke had hugged him very tight. The blonde clung to Sasuke when he heard him whisper, oh-so-seductively, "Shall we start making one now?"

With that wicked tongue doing things on his earlobe, Naruto could only moan in answer. The two then disappeared in a blink of an eye, Sasuke's words echoing for Kyuubi to hear.

"_Thank you."_

**TBC**

* * *

Sasuke got so excited.

Why Kiba is now a Hyuuga? Well, he is not the heir of his family while his wife, Hinata, is the heiress of her family so he is married into the Hyuuga clan. It's an old traditional marriage arrangement. That happened to my great grandfather, his family name, Igarashii became xxxxxx. Am I making sense? If you are confuse, just tell me through your reviews and I'll try to explain better.


	15. 世界にようこそ

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, M-Preg, OOC and Unbeta-read **

**Standard Disclaimer applies **

**Author's notes: When Kyuubi said something about him/her giving the parts the blonde needed for pregnancy, I am referring to the things such as a womb that will hold the baby. Sorry for confusing you, guys.  
cued to be: Thank you for the compliment. **

* * *

**Chapter 15: Life **

Sasuke couldn't help the happiness that spurted within him and the grin that crossed his face every time his wife would run to the bathroom to vomit. Yes, Naruto was now two months pregnant. He could feel excitement running through his veins when he thought that, seven months from now he would become a father.

"What's with that stupid happy look on your face, bastard?" Naruto asked in annoyance as he leaned against the bathroom door. This whole pregnancy was killing him. Sure he had willed this mainly for Sasuke but he couldn't, for the life of him, understand why morning sickness, headaches and others accompanied it.

"Sasuke, I want lemonade from Cypress Point and the highest quality youkan with golden leaves from Amaguriya."

"But shouldn't you eat breakfast first? Tsunade-sama said-"

"Just get give me what I want, bastard!" he shouted causing Sasuke to scramble out from the bed to buy what his blonde craved.

Sasuke never minded every time he'd go out to get what Naruto wanted to eat even if he was still in pajamas. He always thought that it was the least thing he could do when Naruto decided to go through all the trouble that came with pregnancy. Also, he was glad that the food he craved was just ordinary – a lemonade from the most expensive restaurant and the best youkan within the Fire country. Sasuke could have bought and store the youkan in his house but Naruto was very against that. But that wasn't bad.

What was bad was that out of six boxes of youkan, Naruto would only eat half of one box, slicing it in perfect normal rectangle shape while the rest, he would slice it in different shapes and sizes and let him eat. Yes, he, Uchiha Sasuke, have to eat all of them or suffer Naruto's rage and tears.

Never once had he eaten youkan that much in his life until a month ago. His first four days of eating such sweets caused him to have tonsillitis but Sakura had given him a bottle of medicine for that illness. He was thankful for that but it didn't stop him from wishing that he was on a mission or for the food cravings to vanish the very next day because dammit, he would definitely die of over consumption or diabetes.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

The villagers turned or looked up from whatever they were doing to glance at the Uchiha couple walking hand in hand. Some of them would smile at the very rare touching scene while others looked disturb. After all, male pregnancy was n times more absurd and strange than homosexual marriage.

Seeing Naruto, the demon container, pregnant reminded them of what was residing inside that body and concluded that it was because of that demon that made things possible. Honestly, they hated that fact but what could they do? They couldn't do anything much less say any offenses because the unborn child was an Uchiha and Naruto was a very powerful hokage, an Uchiha by marriage, allied by intelligent and very talented Konoha ninjas, Kazekage and Hoshikage. Normally, kages from other hidden village never meddled with such local affairs but they know that both kages especially Gaara of Sand would throw caution to the wind and kill anyone who dared to hurt their friend. With this in mind, they decided not to pay any attention to their kage's pregnancy.

Unmindful of the glances from the villagers, Naruto stopped so suddenly that an alarmed Sasuke looked at him.

"I walked strangely," Naruto said with a deep frown etched across his forehead.

Sasuke knew that, that was because Naruto's body was accommodating the bulge of his stomach. "No, you don't."

"But the distance between my feet is bigger compared to yours."

"That's because you are pregnant."

"I'm fat, I walked strange and I have facial pigmentation. I am ugly," he wailed, his eyes glistening with unshed tears and his lips pouting in pure disappointment.

"Naruto, you aren't ugly."

"So you aren't going to leave me?"

Sasuke let out a soft sigh, rest his forehead against Naruto's and stared at those breathtaking blue eyes. "I'll say it again… I won't leave you. Never." He thought he would go blind when a very bright smile dawned on Naruto's innocent face.

Naruto was so elated that he didn't notice Sasuke's facial color turned to a lighter shade when he said, "Let's go to Amaguriya!"

**- SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke spared a malicious glance towards two of his enemies who stood between him and his home before he burned them to death.

"Captain shows more spirit than usual," Ken, one of Sasuke's subordinates, commented to his teammate, Yanagi who replied, "You mean scarier and crueler?" The grin she had was covered by the porcelain mask she wore but there was amusement in her voice.

Hiko stood beside Sasuke after he slashed his enemy in the air. Even as a team, they never discussed much about their private lives especially about their captain's but he couldn't stay quiet at that moment. "It's okay for you to go ahead, captain. We can take care of these bastards."

As much as Sasuke wanted to be by Naruto's side during his delivery, he couldn't ignore the mission or the responsibilities of his captainship. He was sure his blonde won't like it if would leave them in the middle of trouble. "Thanks but I have to see this mission to its very end."

"Then let's get this done and over with so we can go home," he replied.

"Good. That's what I'm hoping for," Ken quipped.

"Daddy's going to be home within three hours," Yanagi teased.

That was the end of their conversation as they slashed their enemies. They never stopped to engage in brief clashes with their opponents as they just took lives as quietly, quickly and efficiently like the angel of death.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

On his way to the delivery room, Sasuke met a grinning Sakura.

"How is the dobe? Did everything go fine? Where is he now?"

"He's in room 310."

Sasuke nodded and was about to leave when the pink-haired kunoichi placed a hand on his left shoulder. "Congratulations! You are now a father of a healthy boy."

Her dark-haired friend gave her a heart-melting and knee-weakening smile, something which she had never seen until now. Amazing how a person could affect the other, she thought as she watched the disappearing form of Sasuke.

Sasuke took a deep breath before he quietly opened the door of room 310. His breath was taken away when his eyes fell on a sleeping Naruto, who was still in his female form, and his son.

_Son. His very own son. His family. His very own…_

His mind eagerly curled around those words which had been foreign to him until now. He felt a new kind of happiness and excitement blooming within him and slowly singing in his veins. He now had a family and god! it felt too good to be true. The feelings he felt where beyond words and beyond his imagination. He felt like he was going to explode with such feelings.

He approached the bed and gazed upon his treasures. He looked at his child and wondered if all babies look so fragile, cute and angelic. He never realized he was crying until he felt a finger wiping teardrops from his left cheek.

"You are here," Naruto commented with a tired smile. Sasuke held the raised tanned hand and kissed it softly as if in reverence. "Thank you."

"You're always welcome." Then Naruto looked at their child, "Aren't you going to hold him?"

"I haven't gotten cleaned up from the mission yet."

Naruto just smiled in understanding and patted the right side of his bed, indicating for his husband to sit there. "You decide his name."

"Yuuzuki," Sasuke immediately answered.

"Yuuzuki as in evening moon?"

The dark-haired ninja nodded. "When the night falls, only the moon can show people the way and watch over them. In a way, our son would be the one to do that to us especially when along the way we lost each other."

"I see. Not bad. You probably thought of this a lot, right?" he teased.

"It came to me a minute ago."

Naruto then took their son in his arms, the boy's face towards Sasuke. "Yuuzuki, meet your Otousan. Sasuke, meet your son."

Sasuke gaze softened as he stared at his son, "Hello, Yuuzuki."

And Yuuzuki slowly stirred in his sleep, immediately reacting to his Otousan's voice.

**TBC**

* * *

-giggles sheepishly- 9 months of suffering compressed in one chapter, I hope it wasn't too bad. When I was searching the net about pregnancy stuffs, my sister was looking at me weirdly.

I was having a hard time thinking of their boy's name then I decided to use "Yuuzuki" because it is one of my fave words. "Byakuya" sounds weird for a name, anyway.

I tried not to use any Japanese words in any of my fics but this had become quiet unavoidable. I am thinking of using "Father" and "Daddy" but I think "Otousan/Otousama" and "Chichiue" sound more appropriate. If you think otherwise, you can tell me so. Don't be shy. -grins-


	16. 俺たち。。。

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, M-preg, OOC and lastly, unbeta-read. **

**Standard disclaimer applies (it's too obvious anyway) **

**I am overwhelmed with the number of reviews especially when I didn't expect it. **

**Reply to my annonymous reviewers: **

**yukinauchiha - You'll just have to find out in later chapters. I reserved a chapter for that.  
Naruke - I didn't stretch it because it's too troublesome for me.  
mike- For Naruto to deliver the baby, he used his trusty oiroke no jutsu to transform into a female. Youkan is sweet jelly made from bean jam. It's really sweet and very delicious. You should try it.  
nicole - Hope you are able to fix your PC troubles. Anyway, I think it really is. **

* * *

**Chapter 16: The three of us**

Sasuke stepped inside the room and saw his wife asleep on the rocking chair. His four-month old son, Yuuzuki probably felt his presence because he opened his eyes and started waving his little hands as if saying 'Otousama, I am awake. Look at me'. And Sasuke did. He couldn't help but wonder if his father, Fugaku ever felt the same warm fuzzy feeling that was now spreading within him, every time he looked at him or at Itachi back when they were still infants. He gave his mind a quick shake to get rid of such thought which was always followed with bad memories and he focused on Yuuzuki.

Except for his blue eyes which he inherited from his 'mother', Yuuzuki had the Uchiha look, making Sasuke prouder. Seeing that his son was fully awake and had a playful look on his face, he decided to spend time with him. Not wanting to wake Naruto up, he slowly took his son from his arms which suddenly tightened instinctively. Eyelids fluttered open revealing alert blue eyes but as soon as the blonde saw who it was, he relaxed.

"I'll look after him while you sleep," Sasuke said as he started cradling Yuuzuki in his arms. Then he added as he pressed a kiss on his forehead, "Sleep on the bed."

**- SasuNaru is love -**

Sasuke took Yuuzuki to one of the rooms in the house. In there, in front the family temple that honored all of his dead relatives and Naruto's father – the Yondaime, he paid his respect before he proudly showed off his son. Again.

"Look at him, my heir," Sasuke murmured and his son smiled as if he understood what his father was saying. "The one who would one day proudly bear the symbol on his back." At this, small blue eyes, glowing with innocent mischief, stared at Sasuke, reminding him of blue marbles he used to play as a child. Then a small hand started tugging a fistful of his black hair and when it became painful, he flinched making his son gurgle what seemed like in amusement. He couldn't help the crooked grin gracing his face and he rested his forehead against his son's, their nose brushing.

Staring at those innocent blue eyes, he swore that he would never become like his father who thought nothing but the clan and who saw his children nothing but tools for the greater glory of the Uchiha family name. No, he would never be like that. He and Naruto would give him a childhood that would be totally different from theirs but that didn't mean they would spoil him. Yuuzuki won't grow up spoiled, demented or power-hungry.

Holding Yuuzuki in his arms, Sasuke couldn't wait for him to grow so he could teach him all the things he learned, yet at the same time he wanted his son to remain like this – vulnerable and huggable. He sighed. These feelings that accompanied with his new role confused him at the same time overwhelmed him so much but, nevertheless he thought it was a good thing.

With a small smile, he continued playing with Yuuzuki, sometimes hoisting him up or slightly tossing him in the air or making baby sounds to try to communicate with him.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

When Naruto woke up, the first thing he did was look for Yuuzuki. Following his 'maternal' instinct and that strange but natural connection between a parent and a child, he went to the shrine room and found his two important persons sleeping peacefully. Yuuzuki comfortably settled on Sasuke's chest which had become a wonderful make-shift of a rocking cradle with its slow rise and fall. It was a heart-warming scene and he wished he could make that moment last.

Grinning, he draped a shawl over them before he left to prepare for dinner.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

For the umpteenth time in his life, Naruto felt helpless. Not because he was once more the butt of ridicule or ill-treated but because Yuuzuki was burning with fever and crying for all that he was worth. And all he could do was watch Tsunade tending him on his bed, unable to alleviate his discomfort. He watched as his 'sister' made his little boy drank three drops of medicine.

"No need to worry," Tsunade said as she slowly let her chakra put him to sleep, "his immune system just started improving."

Naruto wrung his hands as he strode across the room back and forth. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I mean what if it's more than that? After all, a fever is the body's way of giving a signal of its state. Perhaps it's a symptom of an incurable disease? Or it's contaminated with a deadly virus? A cancer?" he continued murmuring all kinds of illnesses his paranoia dictated never realizing that Sasuke started turning paler and Tsunade, getting irritated.

"UZUMAKI NARUTO!" Tsunade barked. Sasuke frowned totally displease with what he heard but he wasn't the only one because Naruto immediately stop what he was doing to glare at the Godaime and shouted, "UCHIHA!"

In reply, the medic-nin just smiled victoriously before saying "I'm glad you are still quiet attentive." She draped a light blanket over Yuuzuki who was now sleeping comfortably and peacefully before standing up from her chair to discuss few things with the two.

"No need to worry, this is just normal," she told them. She wanted to assure them especially when neither of the two knew anything about matters such as this. "Let him drink three drops of this every night. I'll check on him two days after." Tsunade frowned when she noticed that Naruto was barely listening. Obviously, he was now wrapped in his own world created by his fear. "Are you listening?"

Naruto immediately nodded, making Tsunade sigh. "I'll brief him later," Sasuke immediately offered, knowing his wife wasn't being attentive.

When Tsunade had covered everything that needed to be discussed, she took her leave with Sasuke walking her to the gate.

"You okay?" Naruto asked, looking at Sasuke as the latter walked into the house. The dark-haired ninja smirked as he took off his sandals, "Of course. I'm not the one who's being less attentive."

Sasuke looked so calm almost to the point of being uncaring but Naruto had learned to look through that cool façade of his and knew he was worried, probably more worried than him. As his husband walked passed him, Naruto gripped his wrist, stopping Sasuke and he leaned his forehead against the familiar back.

"He's going to be okay because he has the best doctor after all," the blonde assured. He felt Sasuke nodded before he felt his hand being squeezed softly.

"Yeah, things will be fine."

_They have to be_, Naruto thought.

**TBC**

* * *

First off, I just coulnd't help but include the 'Uzumaki Naruto' line. Second, this chapter was written to show a few moments of how the Uchiha couple was dealing with the new addition to their family. It's not much because I'm not so in touch with my emotional side. Next chapter is summarize in this phrase: the day when we say goodbye or something like that. But fear not, it is not a death chapter. -grins- 


	17. 行かないで

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, M-preg, OOC and unbeta-read **

**Sasuke, not Kishimoto-san, owns Naruto. **

**Warning: Nothing but lemon because I couldn't help it. To my anonymous reviewers, a hearfelt gratitude for reading and revieiwing. It made me happy.**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Separation**

After working and spending quality time with the now 4-year old Yuuzuki, Naruto soaked himself in the bathtub. While he was relaxing, he was also admiring the body of Sasuke who was taking a shower leisurely. He swallowed the sigh that threatened to leave past his lips and commanded himself to stop drooling.

Naruto felt a bit embarrassed when he felt his body coming alive from just watching. It partly amazed, amused and disturb Naruto that despite the countless of times he touched, tasted, felt and marked that body, he still couldn't get enough. He knew obsession. He knew Sasuke.

Sasuke turned off the shower and looked at Naruto over his shoulder. His eyes Naruto's and almost in trance, he watched as the blonde stretched his right arm towards him, water slipping and cascading from that limb. If that simple act didn't convince the ANBU captain, then the blonde's provocative smile did.

The moment Sasuke settled in a comfortable position in the bathtub, Naruto straddled him.

"Sasuke," he breathed, his voice was thick with need. He proceeded to rain Sasuke's neck with light brushes of his lips.

"You are already this hard?" Sasuke asked in amazement. But what amazed him more was his body's immediate response. To crave for someone's touch to the point of insanity… was it a crime? His feelings for his spouse ran so deep that it became an addiction.

"You aren't that far behind," Naruto replied as he felt Sasuke's manhood getting hard almost in a flash. The blonde ground their groins together making the black eyes darker than the ink-black night sky.

The water around them had been warm but with Naruto's touches, it became hot enough to burn Sasuke but he didn't mind. He loved this kind of temperature because this was Naruto, their insatiable desire and passion and of course, their race towards that moment they were totally, completely one.

"I'm missing you already," Naruto confessed between sweet moans. I don't want you to go, was the underlying meaning of his confession. He didn't like the fact that he had assigned Sasuke to a team of 2 jounin and 1 chuunin for a one-year recon mission but he made the choice as the hokage. Neji was his first candidate as his skills was more suited in the place where they were going but the Hyuuga genius was still with his own team, doing mission and was due to return a week later. However, the recon mission couldn't wait so he settled for the next best candidate, Sasuke.

"Me too," Sasuke whispered back. I want to stay. His half-closed eyes were glazed as he pushed into Naruto's welcoming heat. He'd definitely miss everything that was Naruto; everything that was them. When did leaving for a long-term mission become so heart-wrenching?

"Stay inside me all night." It wasn't a command or a request. It was a plea, a desperate one.

"That's my plan, actually."

And then there were no words as pleasure settled heavily in their mind, rendering them incapable of thinking. All they could do was feel and let desperation control their passion. It was an act of giving and taking; conquering and surrendering; pushing and pulling; dominating and submitting. It was a perfect process, an excellent flow, an almost endless procedure and the knowledge that when tomorrow comes, they'd be separated made things more intense.

When it was over, they rested a bit before they went to bed to make love over and over again without bothering to dry themselves.

**TBC**

* * *

Yes, Yuu-chan is now 4 years old. It's a pity he didn't appear in this chapter. In the next chapter, Sasuke found himself in the presence of beautiful dawn.

Would you guys want me to write a chapter of the new breed of Uchiha's bloodline? I mean, Uchiha bloodline + Kyuubi + Naruto equals new stuffs. Or would you prefer me to just get wild and kill anyone I want? -grins-


	18. ただいま

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, M-preg, OOC and unbeta-read **

**The serene Sasuke owns the passionate Naruto -snickers- **

**Author's notes: Another lime(?) before things will spiral out of control. **

**SasuNaruAddict: wild and spontaneous, eh? -grins-  
mike: -laughs- even Sakura? Let's see... I guess a lot of people are on Death's guest list. -winks- **

* * *

**Chapter 18: His return **

A travel and mission-weary Sasuke stood in front of the main door of his home, staring at it for few seconds before he walked inside. The moment he was in, the smell of Naruto which defined his home in every way, rushed to his senses, almost suffocating him in a good way. It wouldn't matter to him right there and then, if he was going to die because he would die happy.

Following the small noises, he walked into the kitchen where he saw his now five-year old son helping Iruka washing the dishes. Pride welled up inside him, this time almost choking him as he could see that Yuuzuki looked more and more like him as the days went by. He looked exactly like…

"I'm home," he said causing both males to jump. Iruka looked so surprised to find the dark-haired ninja there because his expected arrival was the next day. Yuuzuki, on the other hand, looked so happy that his blue eyes seemed to glisten.

"Welcome home, otousan," he greeted cheerfully as he rushed towards his father. His still-wet hands tugging his otousan's almost shyly.

Sasuke hunkered down, placed his hand on top of the young Uchiha's head to tousle his black hair. "Had you been a good boy?"

His child immediately nodded. "I started reading some of your scrolls and Uncle Kakashi started giving me survival training." Upon hearing this, Sasuke hoped that a particular orange book wasn't visible during the training or there'd be hell to pay.

"That's impressive," he said before he looked around, "And where's chichue?"

"Yuu-chan, would you like to tell him about our surprise or show it to him?" Iruka asked, his eyes glinting with happiness.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in confusion and silent inquiry before he found himself dragged to a room which he knew was empty. However, he realized he was wrong because the room look like any nursery room filled with colorful toys and baby clothes.

_Could it be?_

And in the middle of the room was a wooden crib where Naruto was leaning over, a slight proud smile on his visage.

"Otousan is home," Yuuzuki announced loudly. Naruto turned to the door and his eyes widened. He straightened and a very shy smile touched his lips. In front of Sasuke, who he hadn't seen for 369 days, 10 hours and 53 minutes (not that he was counting), Naruto felt so self-conscious.

The extra weight, skin pigmentation and other things caused by pregnancy had long been gone, Naruto knew that, but he was still worried of his appearance, among other things. Was he still attractive? Sexy? Would Sasuke still want him?

_**Kit, this is the Uchiha we are talking about!  
That's why I am worried and more so because of those fucking dreams.  
Those were just dreams and nothing more, kit. **_

Sasuke approached the crib and just as he thought, he saw a sleeping baby with black hair and tanned skin. His mind immediately pointed out that the boy was his child. His second child with Naruto. He, Sasuke was sure the baby was a boy, was definitely conceived on the eve of his departure. Wasn't that fantastic that he had unconsciously left a part of him in Naruto to form a new life?

Naruto looked at Sasuke as he stared at their child. Sasuke's emotionless face made him worry and the dreams he had during pregnancy that had haunted him; that looked so real and that always left him depressed and crying rushed to him and so was the fear associated with them. Like in his dreams, Sasuke would disown the child; he would accused Naruto of adultery; he would leave him for someone else or he would go back to the person whom he had a fling during his recon mission. He'd never say…

"I'm sorry that I wasn't by your side."

He would never say that much less in a very gentle voice. Eh?

"What?" Naruto asked, not so sure if he heard it right or if he had imagined it.

There was a trace of amusement in Sasuke's voice but he repeated it in voice gentler than a second ago. "I'm sorry that I wasn't by your side."

Iruka noticed the look those two were giving each other - the prey and the predator. Although he couldn't point who played what role but it didn't matter, what matters was that he had to get Yuuzuki out.

"By the way, Yuu-chan, Kakashi arrived from his mission yesterday."

"Really? How come he didn't visit me?"

The teacher smiled apologetically and he hoped he wasn't blushing as he said, "He was tired." It was a lie actually. Kakashi wasn't tired from the mission but from the activity both of them partook the moment the silver-haired jounin stepped inside their home. "But he did mention that he had lots of things to share with you. We can go now as he didn't have anything else to do. In fact you can stay overnight."

Yuuzuki was ecstatic. He loved staying overnight especially at Iruka's house. He had been staying there frequently that in the end, Iruka and Kakashi gave him a closet of his own, full of his clothes, in their house. "Can I ask my parents first?" "Why don't we leave them a note instead?" Iruka suggested or to be more exact, softly ordered. "Let's hurry before Kakashi gets bored."

And as the two walked towards the door, Yuuzuki asked, "Are those two okay? Will Akemi be okay?" He didn't understand the situation but he did felt the change of atmosphere and was bothered about it.

Iruka automatically nodded. "Otousan will talk with chichiue about Akemi-chan," he said while his mind was conjuring up images of the couple's 'talk'.

Yuuzuki took hold of his uncle's hand and with big, innocent eyes asked, "Why is your face red?"

"I-I-It's not red!" he stuttered and silently cursing his blush reflex, his mind and his perverted lover.

"Liar! It's getting redder," the boy pointed out before bursting into laughter.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

"Did you crave for youkan again?" Sasuke asked as he closed the distance between him and Naruto.

"Nope. This time it was only ice-cream cone," was the blonde's reply as he returned the embrace.

"You probably tortured everyone to eating it with you," the dark-haired commented as he rested his head against a mop of blonde hair. He inhaled deeply, letting Naruto's scent wrapped around him in complete security.

"I didn't. But the girls' usually accompanied me to the ice-cream parlor or the guys would bring me a box of ice cream cone when they come by in the office. And sometimes, I buy ice-cream on the cone and Yuu-chan and I will share it." Naruto sighed softly letting Sasuke's warmth engulfed him like a cocoon.

"So what's his name?"

"He was born at dawn so I decided to name him Akemi." Naruto leaned back to see any of Sasuke's reaction but there was none.

Sasuke didn't make any comment or react because at that moment there was something that was bugging him and it was desperately clawing into his consciousness but before he could focus on it, he found himself distracted by blue eyes looking at him expectantly.

"It's a lovely name, dobe," he quipped before adding, "For a second, I thought you named him after some ramen flavor."

The younger man's pout caused an instant reaction from his husband. Sasuke's black eyes became intense, heated and they captivated Naruto's blue ones with their own gravity force.

Sasuke thought he understood the depth of how much he missed his blonde but staring at those blue pools and getting lost in them, he realized he was wrong. He suddenly felt weak and strong; tired and energetic all at the same time. Was this normal to feel in front of one's object of dependence after not seeing them for a long time?

"I missed you, bastard," Naruto whispered, his teeth catching the lobe of his ear making Sasuke shudder. And his mind took him to that night when his name was spilled out from those luscious lips like molten iron.

"You hadn't eaten dinner yet. Would you like to eat it now?" the blonde suddenly asked.

"I'm not hungry for food right now," Sasuke replied huskily as he started working on Naruto's clothes.

"Would you like to know more about my second pregnancy?" Naruto pressed, his hands were moving on its accord, disarming Sasuke. His touches were slow, deliberate and teasing.

"Later."

"Ah yes. After all, you're tired. Bed?"

"Much later."

"Then, shall we start discussing about the mission?"

Sasuke growled. He was annoyed that Naruto remained calm and unaffected by his touches but what annoyed him more was the last question. He glared at his wife only to find his lustful blue eyes dancing in mischief and it hit him that he was just being teased him. But even then, Sasuke's answer didn't change.

"To hell with it."

As short as the moment was Naruto had teased him by those questions and Sasuke intended to return the favor, but not with words. He captured those soft lips, rocking the blonde with the first punch of lust that had swirled between them the moment they laid their eyes on each other. His touches, light and teasing as they were, were also torrid. He let his hand glide against Naruto's manhood, causing the blonde to gasp in aroused shock.

"I-I'm shaking. Isn't it a bit strange?" Naruto commented as he felt Sasuke's tongue on his chest, closing in on a nipple.

Sasuke never look up from his task as he replied, "I want you to."

Fighting for air, the blonde let his head fell on the other's shoulder. "God! Sasuke, I-"

Blue eyes shimmered. Black eyes smoldered. Passion whispered. Lust flickered. Desire churned. Logic and reason was stifled and restrained to silence. Control was lost in the onslaught of powerful feelings. Naruto was contentment. Sasuke was completion.

_I want to feel more… more… more, dammit!_ Those words echoed inside Sasuke's mind to the point of insanity. He plundered Naruto. He let his mouth, his tongue and his hands reclaim his property.

In return, Naruto ravished Sasuke. He let his hands blindly wander on smooth skin and let his mouth marked his treasure, all for the sake of refreshing his memory and of feeling once more.

In Sasuke's absence, he was haunted by small smiles, low chuckles, black eyes, warm hands and a soft voice. Longing and loneliness visited him together, hand in hand and they merrily teased him with images but he stood firm. And Sasuke was now back with him, pressed against him and he knew this was his reward.

Naruto turned his head, deliberately missing the fingers Sasuke wanted him to suck. "No. I don't need preparation," he muttered. Sasuke was close alright, but they were still separated and he couldn't bear it anymore. He couldn't wait. With his remaining strength, he wrapped his legs around the other's hips.

The dark-haired ninja, frowned. "You'd get hurt, Naruto. It's been a while-"

"That's why I want it now because it's been awhile-" He let out a gasp as he found himself roughly pushed against the cold wall.

Without any warning, Sasuke pushed into him in one single, powerful thrust. Naruto's cry was smothered by a hot and torrid kiss. Tears sprung into his eyes as Naruto felt being ripped by pain and pleasure. Those two had merged into one and was flowing into his veins like lava. But a moment later, the sense of being filled to the brim and Sasuke's heat vanquished pain and there was only pleasure. Mind-numbing and heart-stopping pleasure.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Naruto was tight and hot around him and he felt himself getting dizzy with the all-too familiar sensation.

During the mission, while his comrades slept and dream in the arms of their night companions, Sasuke was alone in his cold bed, suffering the mockery of silence. He tossed and turned, dreaming of two pairs of blue eyes; of sweet laughter; of melodious voices; of a familiar body writhing beneath his and of hungry mouth latching his. Sometimes he found himself totally in a bad mood that it had been a surprise to him that despite this, he hadn't botched the mission. Fortunately, it was over. The mission was accomplished and his suffering was over because in Naruto's tight heat and in his sweet embrace, Sasuke was finally home.

"Naruto, I'm home," he huskily murmured between deep thrusts.

"Welcome back, Sasuke," was the throaty reply.

* * *

I could have named him Akatsuki (dawn, daybreak) -sweatdrops-. Or Shokou (first streak of daylight,dawn) or Akebono (elegant dawn). The former sounds too girly and Akebono just doesn't fit. Akemi sounds girly too but I swear that it is a boy's name. It means beautiful dawn. 

Next chapter summary: The Uchiha couple stands, frozen in their spot and all they can do is watch in trance as Yuuzuki is being burnt to death. While Naruto starts denying hyterically what is happening in front of him, Sasuke numbly questions what his powers' purpose is when he couldn't even protect one of his important persons.

Hahahaha okay peeps -backs out slowly-, let's calm down. Keep calm. You'll find out more in the next chapter. You don't have to poke me with your forks, dammit!


	19. 死神の前に

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, M-preg, OOC and unbeta-read (forgive me for this) **

**Standard disclaimer applies **

**I am wondering whether I should start distributing boxes of tissue or start looking for some place to hide. -smiles- **

* * *

**Chapter 19: The shadow of death**

Yuuzuki knew his presence at the Hokage tower was expected because it had became his habit to visit there to watch his chichiue giving orders or admire the feral masks some ninjas wore at times but he couldn't get his eyes off from the gate that led outside.

He always wondered what lies beyond the concrete walls around his village and had asked these to his parents and even to his uncles and all he got was the same answer: bad guys. However, he didn't believe them so he had planned to go outside and see for himself.

He had come up with a plan. It was a very simple plan and it had been used in the old times that it might not be effective. But being the genius that he was, he reasoned out that it was because of its overuse that nobody expects anyone to use it anymore.

Yuuzuki took out the cat he had caught from the box and left him behind the bushes but not before making sure that the cat was entangled with its branches.

The guard on duty immediately tensed when he noticed the bushes across him started moving and when he heard an unfamiliar noise coming from that same spot, he looked at his side to ask his partner to go check the place. Unfortunately, he remembered that his partner had excused himself to empty his bladder. Grumbling, he immediately created a clone of himself and ordered his clone to stay while he himself would check whatever the noise.

Yuuzuki was not fazed with the appearance of the clone as he had already read it from the scrolls a few months ago and was even expecting it. Grinning, and with a stealth that was born within every mischievous child started making his way outside.

"Mission accomplished!" he muttered under his breath as he rushed forward, letting his adventurous side led him. He let his eyes wander around him, taking in all the natural beauty that was hidden by the village walls unveiled before his eyes. He counted the birds that his gaze landed on, taking note of its color so he could tell his parents about it. He let his lungs be filled with the cool fresh air that could only be present in the forest. He let his hands glide the wide tree trunks and played the wild grasses growing around. And when he grew tired, he decided to go home. However, he realized that he could no longer find his way back and panic started rising within him, bringing tears to his eyes.

He almost jumped when he heard someone drawled, "Are you lost, young man?" He whipped around only to find a man smiling at him and he immediately regarded him as his savior. He nodded immediately.

"Come on then, I'll take you back to Konoha village." The man mentally grinned as he noticed the symbol at the back of Yuuzuki's shirt. He knew who his parents were and he thought the boy was a perfect ransom. In no time, he would have Konoha's important information and his group would gain a lot of profit from selling the information they had. Thinking like this, he stifled his urge to laugh victoriously.

Yuuzuki beamed and walked towards the stranger. So relieved was he that he never even bothered to doubt the man, much less question his intentions. He followed him and as minutes ticked by, Yuuzuki was now disturbed. His instincts told him that he was drifting farther from his home.

"Mister, I think this is not the path to the village," he said, worry evident in his voice.

"A kid who got lost should not say that," the stranger replied in a manner that the younger boy didn't like.

Doubting and fearing the man, Yuuzuki started coming up with a plan to escape. Halfway through, he realized that they were no longer alone. There were other men too and they were all grinning at him like he was their food.

His 'savior' then looked at him devilishly and with a manic grin he glared at Yuuzuki, "You better be obedient, son or I'm going to kill you!"

Fear completely gripped Yuuzuki in its cold grasp and all he could do was to nod his head numbly.

_Otousan, chichiue, save me._

**- SasuNaru is love - **

"Is there something wrong, Naruto-sama?" Konohamaru asked when Naruto seemed to freeze instantly in his chair. He almost panic when he saw that his big brother's face seemed to contort in pain while a tanned hand grasp the part of his robe just above his heart.

"I think I'm okay," he said, trying to calm down his suddenly aching heart and get rid of the knot that made breathing difficult. "Yuuzuki… where is he anyway?"

"Now that you mention him, he's 35 minutes late." Konohomaru frowned as he thought it was strange for Yuuzuki to be late in his visits.

Unable to stop himself from worrying, Naruto let his chakra spread all throughout the village even if such process was energy-draining. He never let his chakra spare any corners or alleys or even any place where hiding was possible as he search for a familiar chakra. When he didn't felt it, he remained calm, despite the fear that was now welling within him and search again. When he failed once more, he clenched his fists ignoring the pain he felt as his nails dug into his palm.

"Raidoh!" Naruto called and in an instant there was a 'poof' as Raidoh appeared. "Ask the guards on duty if they let anybody pass by or if they left their post."

Sensing the tension of the atmosphere and the aura the Rokudaime was emanating, the ninja just nodded before he disappeared just as Neji stepped inside the room.

"Naruto, I sensed your chakra. What is wrong?" From the way his blond friend was looking, Neji knew it had to be bad.

Before the blonde could answer, Udon burst inside carrying a small scroll.

"Naruto-sama, Raidoh-san asked me to give this to you. He said this was drop by an eagle."

The hokage took it and looked at its crest – the kanji of dragon within a circle, sealing the scroll. He knew the symbol belonged to one of the fiercest and cruelest groups of bandits and he ripped the letter open.

"Fucking assholes!" he hissed as he slammed the paper on his table making the other three ninja jumped more in fear than surprise because it was very seldom for Naruto to used crude words much more say it in a voice full of contempt and barely restrained fury.

Konohamaru stepped forward and read the letter aloud for the benefit of Udon as Neji had already activated his byakugan.

"Most honorable Rokudaime, your time to choose between your village and your beautiful boy had arrived. If your child is more important to you I expect confidential information about Konoha in exchange of his freedom by midnight. Any suspicious movements will be seen as an attack and Yuu-chan will die. See the map below for the meeting place. If it's the latter, our wall can accommodate another lovely decoration. It has been a common opinion among us that Yuu-chan's head is perfect to adorn our lovely home. We could send his headless body to you as soon as possible. Respectfully yours, Ryuuou"

"I'm going to get my team ready as well as Shino's," Neji immediately announced coldly.

"No need to do that," Naruto whispered harshly. And if they didn't know their hokage's character perfectly, they'd thought he had completely chosen the village over his child.

"I'll go save him."

"But Naruto-sama," Udon interjected, "that would put your life in danger. Why don't you let the ANBU do it?" The younger lad couldn't help but shudder as he found himself under Naruto's red cat-like eyes.

"Because **my** son expects me to save him."

"Then let my team accompany you, Naruto. In that way, we could eliminate any threat to your person," Neji suggested but his friend shook his head. "Neji, although a village attack from the group is unlikely, just to be on the safe side gather all the ANBU guards who are in this village and inform them of Code A-1."

"Code A-1 it is then," Neji repeated in acknowledgement.

"I want you to oversea the whole thing," Naruto continued then he looked at his other two subordinates, "Don't alert anybody else. Tell Ino that I'll come for Akemi-chan as soon as I can."

"What about plan B?" Konohamaru asked, knowing the older man always had a plan B. Heck, even plan C if the situation calls for it.

Naruto smiled wryly, "There's no need for plan B." He was about to reach for the doorknob when the door swung open admitting Sasuke and his team who had just arrived from a mission.

Sasuke frowned as he noticed the suffocating tension hanging in the office and he frowned more when he noticed Naruto's red eyes.

"Naruto,-"he was cut off as Naruto placed his forehead against Sasuke's chest, silently seeking an assurance. He heard more than felt Naruto taking a big gulp of air before he whispered, "Yuuzuki is being held ransom by Ryuu faction."

Upon hearing this, Sasuke stood rooted to ground, his blood running cold before it flared once more painting his eyes in crimson red. Instantly, he squeezed Naruto's hand in a silent comfort because he knew his wife needed it very much.

"I'm going to save him," Naruto whispered before he brushed past him. He didn't ask Sasuke to come with him nor ordered him to stay. He left it for his spouse to decide.

Without a moment of hesitation, Sasuke tossed their mission report and objective to Hiko before he ripped his porcelain mask from his face and ran after his blonde. He was going to make sure those assholes would pay while staring at the face of terror and death.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

The two bandits guarding the entrance were killed even before they could sense the presence of the intruders.

_Calm down_, Naruto told himself over and over again as he felt the brash side of him just wanted to assault the group head-on and see them suffer as he drained their lives. It was more gratifying that way especially when mental images of his enemies' corpse seemed to make the idea tempting but Naruto knew he couldn't risk his son's life. He and Sasuke moved again after taking out five more bandits in the hallway.

It took three more bodies before the Ryuu faction noticed that there were intruders. By then, the Uchiha couple had located Yuuzuki who was in the deeper part of the forest with more bandits.

"Otousan! Chichiue!" Yuuzuki cried out in relief as he saw his parents. It didn't matter to him that there was a knife pressed against his throat because somehow, he firmly believed in his parents.

"Let him go," Sasuke growled, his sharingan spinning almost out of control. The man who was holding their son captive just smirked. Already impatient, Sasuke moved like a black wind and in the next instant, he now had his son between him and Naruto. The dark-haired ninja gave Ryuuou his superior smirk.

Ryuuou was either a fool or so confident that he wasn't fazed. How could he be when he had the two ninjas completely outnumbered and surrounded? How could he be so stupid to underestimate these two ninjas who seemed to become the devil himself when they found themselves or their precious persons in danger? The leader made a nod and his men moved for a simultaneous attack.

Taking Yuuzuki with him, Sasuke flipped in the air together with Naruto. The two separated in mid-air, dividing the men.

"Stay here. Don't show yourself," Sasuke ordered his son before he left him behind a boulder to join the fight.

But being the curious child that he was and wanting to see his parents kick ass, Yuuzuki decided to take a peek. Ryuuou saw his head and chuckled before moving to stand few paces behind the Uchiha brat. What these two ninjas didn't know was that he had learned some tricks from some of the missing-nins he had befriended. With his hands moving in speed, he quickly formed the seal for a ninjutsu.

"Fire release: Grand fireball technique" he uttered.

And in the din caused by the clashes, Sasuke and Naruto didn't hear those words. They didn't even notice that he had formed the seal. It was only when the fire appeared that they had paused from the battle to look at where the attack was headed to. Their bodies instantly moved before their mind could even think of moving but it seemed Yuuzuki was so far and that they were moving so slow because they knew they couldn't make it.

Yuuzuki, on the other hand, whirled around and fear reflected in his eyes as he saw the flame moving quickly towards him. And in his fright, he found his eyes so hot that he felt like they were burning. He rubbed them with the back of his hand and to his amazement he began to see everything in red and moving in slow motion. But even then he couldn't tell his body which had been frozen in terror to duck the attack. He screamed as fire engulfed him.

"YUUZUKIIIIII…"

His parents' terror-filled scream cut through the air. All color drained from Sasuke's face as he stared at the scene in front of him. His child was being burned to death, his mind registered that fact but he couldn't do anything but watch. He continued watching while his mind curled around the fact that he had lost someone again. What was the point of having so much power when he couldn't even protect his child?

Naruto shook his head in disbelief as he watched what was unfolding in front of him. He just couldn't believe it. Words of denials leapt through his mind, pushing back any dreadful or morbid thoughts. A part of him wondered why he was still alive when his heart had already stopped beating a moment ago. Tears sprang into his eyes and it took all of his control to stop himself from falling to the ground.

The leader grinned triumphantly and he threw his head to laugh when the flame engulfing Yuuzuki burst to form a pillar before it changed to an image of a fox. Everybody gaped more at the sudden image than at the boy's silhouette, totally entranced by the clear details of the figure.

Yuuzuki then lifted his right arm sideward and the flame-fox immediately became a rope of flame spiraling around his raised arm then evaporating into nothing when it reached the tips of his fingers. Finally, Yuuzuki opened his eyes revealing a single tomoe on both his eyeballs and he was now sporting the Uchiha smirk.

The Uchiha couple heaved a sigh of relief although they still didn't completely understand what happened to Yuuzuki. There was no time to think about it because they were still in their enemies' presence. Sasuke moved towards their child as the battle resumed. Although they could see that Yuuzuki was fine, the anger the two were feeling even intensified. Punishment and then finally death were the only things that awaited these pricks.

And what was once a battle had turned into a grotesque massacre as the two ninjas had subconsciously decided to let this incident not be a threat but a warning to anybody who decided to mess up with them.

Never leaving Yuuzuki's side, Sasuke formed the seals of flame ninjutsu, showing Ryuuou that his attack was nothing compared to his. He burned anybody who was beyond his arms' reach to crisp or let his snakes slay them and mercilessly killed any bandit who was within his reach. He was like a killing machine with his body moving in precision and all his limbs working in perfect coordination. Seeing that the leader was sneaking away, Sasuke let his summoned snake eat him alive. It was a lousy punishment, he mused, but it would do.

In his anger, Naruto had grown two more tails but instead of attacking directly, he slammed his hands on the ground and in a second, tree roots and vines angrily spurted out from the soil like they had their own lives and they glinted in their abnormal sharpness. Seeing these, the remaining bandits screamed in fear and scattered around, trying to save their own hide but they could no longer escape. There was only option left for them: death. No matter where they hide, these spawn-of-the-devil objects always found them. In the end, they were either being stabbed or strangled or tortured to death.

In morbid fascination, Yuuzuki stared at the scene as his fathers made it rain with blood. And watching his parents like this made him shiver because subconsciously he acknowledged that they were more dangerous than the bandits that he had met.

When it was over and both of them calmed down, Sasuke looked at his son. "Are you okay?"

Before the boy could answer, Naruto whirled him around and slapped him.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" both ninjas burst out in unison. Sasuke asked Naruto while the latter asked their son who immediately cowered in fear. In the next second, Yuuzuki found himself in the arms of his chichiue and he could hear the loud beating of his heart. From it, he could tell that his father was scared too.

"You're safe now," Naruto whispered softly, "no one's going to harm you." Hearing these words being said in a gentle voice was like a lullaby and Yuuzuki can't stop himself from leaning against that warm familiar chest. For the first time since his ordeal, he found himself wailing while clutching his father's bloody robe.

Naruto threw Sasuke an apologetic look and in reply the latter just gave him a soft smile.

**TBC**

* * *

So, do you guys still want to poke me with your big and dull forks? Sorry, if I mislead you into thinking of something else. But hey, there was a small display of the new Uchiha blondline and random killing too. Just a warning though, it's not yet over. Honest!

Next chapter summary: Naruto realized that after the incident, Yuuzuki was drifting away from them. What's going on, Yuuzuki?


	20. 怖いよ

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, M-preg, OOC and unbeta-rad **

**Standard Disclaimer applies **

**More on the new Uchiha bloodline. Watch out for the confusing conversation between Kyuu-chan and Naruto. Other than that, enjoy. **

* * *

**Chapter 20: Aftermath**

When Naruto and Sasuke were few paces away from the gates of Konoha, they found few of their friends waiting for them.

"Is he all right?" Iruka, in his full mother hen mode, immediately asked. Sasuke nodded affirmatively as he stared at his son whom he was carrying, piggy-back style.

"What about you guys?"

"Eliminated the whole group," Naruto answered without any remorse. There was still roughness in his voice because the kyuubi won't explain to him about what happened to Yuuzuki back then until they would arrive in Konoha safely.

"Do you want me to run a quick check-up on him when you get to your house?" Tsunade asked and Naruto nodded. Then with a grateful smile, he addressed his friends in front of him, "Do you want to come to the house and have some tea or something?"

**- SasuNaru is love - **

While the others settled in the living room, Tsunade and Iruka were tending to Yuuzuki in his room and the Uchiha couple took a quick shower to clean themselves from the blood and dirt.

When Naruto had dried himself, he settled himself in the bed and closed his eyes.

**_You okay now?  
Yeah. Are you ready to explain to me what you have done to Yuuzuki? Not that I'm grateful or anything. I was just surprised that you didn't mention anything to me. _  
I didn't? **

Naruto growled.

_**Considering that he is my nephew or grandson or whatever, I decided to give him the power to control the fire. I think it is appropriate as he is an Uchiha.  
But isn't it a bit vain of you to have his fire's form to take after your image? **_

This time, he could hear the fox laughing pleasantly.

_**That was not part of the plan.  
You mean?  
Yeah, the flame's form depends on his subconscious. But I'm very pleased of the outcome.  
Yeah I know you do, fox. But something tells me this isn't the only thing you have given to him. **_

Somehow, Naruto could feel Kyuubi being sheepish.

_**You decided to add another tomoe to the already normal number of tomoe to an adult sharingan?  
Well, we all know that the Sharingan has the capability for hypnosis, right?  
Yes.  
And we fox demons are also known for hypnosis that could drive any one crazy.  
You didn't… Or did you?  
I increased the hypnotic powers of the sharingan. And I am certainly sure that it is more powerful than the Mangekyou Sharingan. **_

Naruto involuntarily shivered and gulped as he heard that term. He always associated that form to Itachi.

_**Is that possible? That kind of sharingan is the most powerful and deadliest-  
That is the opinion of the humans, kit. And I am a demon.  
But why would you do something like that, kyuubi?  
In hopes that with this, nobody would dream of achieving the mangekyou sharingan..  
My god… You're the best, kyuubi.  
There's a bit of a problem, kit. **_

The blonde found himself frowning. What could that be? It was the first time he heard Kyuubi admit such thing.

_**Don't let Sasuke train the child when it comes to hypnotizing. Nobody should train him other than you.  
Why?  
Because through me, you could train him to develop his hypnotic capability to its maximum. Through me, you could withstand the illusion.  
Okay, I'll tell the bastard.  
But it's best if you let him train to improve his control of the flame. After all, Uchihas know best when it comes to this things. **_

Naruto sighed.

**_I don't know how to react to that last statement, Kyuubi._**

In reply, the kyuubi just laughed.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

Naruto sighed at Yuuzuki's empty place on their dining table. Ever since he had woken up from his kidnapping incident, the boy immediately asked them to let him stay at Iruka's place indefinitely. As much as they wanted to decline, they couldn't, not when those vulnerable puppy eyes were trained at them.

That had been four days ago and it seemed it would be long time before his eldest son would return.

"I didn't know Yuu-chan would leave as so soon. I didn't expect him to grow up so fast," Sasuke said as he cradled a silent Akemi in his arms.

Naruto's left eye twitched as he heard the comment especially when it was said so wistfully by none other than Uchiha Sasuke. Was this guy serious or just trying to crack a pathetic joke and failing?

"Don't grow up too soon, okay?" he addressed his son who was looking at him intently with his blue eyes. "It would be lonely with just me and chichiue unless we are going to give you another sibling. "

This time, a blushing Naruto couldn't help but throw the table rug towards Sasuke who immediately leaned sideward. "Bastard, aren't you worried that Yuu-chan is not yet coming home?"

Sasuke looked up from Akemi's smiling face to say, "He probably needs some time, dobe. It's not easy to witness a bloody scene like that."

The blonde immediately looked away, feeling guilty. Sasuke was right. What kind if a parent were they when they had exposed their child to such bloody event. But what choice do they had at that time?

"Don't think too much about it, Naruto. He'll come back."

**- SasuNaru is love - **

Kakashi playfully wrestled with Yuuzuki on the couch and when he had pinned the boy down, he smiled wickedly before he tickled the Uchiha child. Peals of laughter echoed throughout the whole place, causing Iruka to frown in worry.

"Kakashi! Will you let him breathe for awhile?" It wasn't a suggestion but an order so the jounin immediately obeyed.

Leaning back against the couch, Kakashi eyed him silently before asking seductively, "Iruka, want to wrestle with me?"

The teacher immediately blushed, "S-stupid."

Yuuzuki laughed at Iruka, "Uncle Iruka's face is getting red again."

"Isn't he cute?"

The boy immediately agreed making Iruka blushed harder.

"Come on, Yuu-chan. Time to sleep," Iruka said.

"Good night, uncle," he said to a smiling Kakashi and followed Iruka to his room.

While he was being tucked, Yuuzuki asked, "When am I going to meet this Yukina?"

Iruka grinned as he heard his soon-to-be adopted daughter's name. "Probably next month."

"How old is he?"

"Four years old and Yukina is a girl."

Yuuzuki scrunched his face, "She's no fun then." There was finality in his voice that made the teacher chuckle.

"Yuu-chan, don't you miss your parents?" As much as he wanted the young Uchiha in his place, he was a bit disturbed that he was distancing himself from his own family.

The question was so sudden that it took the boy by surprise. He immediately looked away but not before the older man saw the emotions on those blue eyes.

"What are you scared of, Yuuzuki?"

Being a child, he was honest and besides he couldn't stand to stay away from his parents. As scared as he was of them, he also missed them.

"I am scared of them."

"Why?" Iruka asked although he already had a good guess. If this was the boy's reaction in seeing a one-third of their powers, then what would his reaction be if he saw it at its maximum?

"They looked like demons that time. And I…"

"Yes?"

"…"

"Yuu-chan?"

He couldn't stop the tears from falling down and dropping to his now clenched hands. "They were so powerful and I don't want them to use that on me. I mean… I don't want to be like the guys they fought."

Iruka embraced his shaking frame. "They would never hurt you, Yuuzuki."

"But they…"

"Because they are protecting you from those guys," the older man leaned back to stare at those tearful eyes. "They would never ever hurt you. Never. Do you understand?"

He nodded his head. If his uncle said so in a very fierce manner then it must be true. He wiped away his tears and smiled.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

"I'm home, otousan, chichue," Yuuzuki greeted cheerfully from the doorway of the kitchen, surprising his parents.

"Welcome home, Yuu," Sasuke greeted back. With the nod of his head, he silently indicated his son to sit on his designated place.

"So, buddy, what do you want for breakfast?" a very happy Naruto asked.

"Hmm… Onigiri with umeboshi and then miso soup please."

**TBC**

* * *

Right now, I couldn't form a single coherent thought and because of that I can't come up with a proper summary for the next chapter. 

The red moon bleed, darkness hang above, coldness swirled around; evidences left by death and Sasuke found himself face to face once more with Itachi or so that's what he thought. Next chapter: His curse.


	21. 兄きの呪い

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, M-preg, OOC and unbeta-read. **

**Standard disclaimer applies **

**Author's notes: Few more bumpy rides before smooth sailing. (huh?) I am preparing myself for flying pitchforks. **

* * *

**Chapter 21 : Nightmare **

Coldness and darkness… those were the first thing that registered in Sasuke's mind as he returned home from his mission. The coldness wasn't because of the evening breeze and the darkness wasn't because the absence of all the lights that should be lit up when evening comes. No, it was something more than that; something familiar. Something that made his memories of blood-tainted ground; blood-splattered wall and corpse-littered walkway flashed through his mind. Something akin to deep malice hanging in the air and death.

Fear and worry rushed in his veins making him cold and warm simultaneously. There was only one thing that came to his mind at that moment – his family.

He heard a muffled grunt followed by the sound of a body falling to the ground from the same room where his parents were killed. He rushed to that room and stood in front. He knew what was waiting for him behind that door – the grotesque and bloody scene of his parents' bodies. But even then, he couldn't stop himself from opening the door with shaking hands.

In a familiar manner, he let his gaze wander to the place where his parents' corpse were, bathing in their own blood then Sasuke's blood turned cold, his whole system shutting completely down and his world and heart crumbled as he realized that it wasn't his dead parents' bodies lying on the floor but Naruto's and Akemi's. Naruto was holding Akemi protectively, a proof that he was fighting at the same time protecting their second child. But his struggle rewarded him nothing but death. Naruto's empty blue eyes were staring at him as if in helplessness.

Sasuke snapped his head to the direction where he knew the intruder, the cold-hearted thief was standing. He saw an emotionless Itachi with his eyes closed standing, bathed under the pale moonlight, looking like every bit of the god of death and to Sasuke he was.

"Itachi…" he growled, his whole body tensed. How could Itachi be alive when he had killed him back a long time ago? Naruto even bear witness to his pain, defeat and death.

"Welcome home, otousan" 'Itachi' greeted him as he opened his eyes, revealing calm blue eyes. His voice was full of sinister and disrespect.

Bile rose inside Sasuke as he realized that it wasn't Itachi but Yuuzuki who had snatched his treasures away. Once again, Sasuke found himself spiraling into darkness, sorrow and helplessness. He fell on fours as this whole thing became too overwhelming even for him to accept.

Why was it that even when he had guarded his possession so vigilantly, they were still taken away so simply and quickly? Were his efforts not enough? Was he meant to be alone? To suffer in darkness and bitterness? To live the life of an avenger?

"Why?" Sasuke heard himself murmur, asking his son. No, not his son. Yuuzuki had stop being one when he had attack Naruto and Akemi. The murderer answered wordlessly and Sasuke need not activate his sharingan to follow the movements of the lad's lips. He knew it too well because the answer had echoed within his mind and haunted him for a long time.

**_To test my ability…_**

Yuuzuki continued watching his otousan, silently laughing at his helplessness. He couldn't believe that an Uchiha could be that weak. He thought Akemi was the weakest, he had been wrong. His otousan was the most pathetic and weakest Uchiha in all history and he had lost interest in killing him.

"Look at you, otousan! You're not even worth killing. This is what uncle Itachi must felt on that fateful night," he sneered. His otousan was just like his chichiue -weak in the face of a family. He was sure the older Uchiha wouldn't attack him or he would but his attacks would be half-hearted just like his chichiue's. "You can kill me now or survive in an unsightly way, run and cling to life."

_**Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way, run, run, and cling to life. **_

Why was it that the role of an avenger was always thrust into him? Didn't he have any say to this kind of matters? Why were there always two choices left for him – to avenge or completely forget? He stared at his fists then back at Naruto's empty eyes.

_I'm sorry, Naruto that I wasn't able to die by your side. But it's okay, I'll join you the moment I'll kill this enemy_, he said mentally as he gathered his strength. He slowly stood and stared at Yuuzuki squarely. The boy smirked and he let his otousan watch his eyes bled to crimson red and let him count the tomoe in his eyes.

"I had now three just like yours, Otousan, isn't that great?" he continued maniacally.

He was worse than Itachi. Definitely worse. But it didn't matter. He'd defeat and kill this person in front of him. He could him despite the fact that the younger man could control flame and had hypnotic powers beyond human comprehension It wasn't arrogance that was telling him that or his confidence. It was a fact. He closed his eyes, feeling his veins around his eyes throb with the chakra. He could feel the sharingan activating. He opened his eyes and found himself looking…

At the ceiling.

At the ceiling of his and Naruto's bedroom.

He was drenched with cold sweet and shivering with anger, pain and fear. He jerked his head to Naruto's direction, just to check that it was really just a nightmare; that the blonde was still beside him, alive. Naruto was there alright and he was slowly opening his eyes.

Strangely, Naruto had been awakened from his deep slumber but he didn't mind as he saw Sasuke's disturbed look. "Sasuke?" he muttered as he watched his husband moved to hover above him. He reached out to wipe away the beads of sweat from his face at the same time brushed away the strands of hair sticking from his forehead.

"Was it Itachi?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke wanted to tell him about his nightmare but something was holding him back so he remained silent, never confirming nor denying anything. Instead he just closed his eyes and rested his forehead against his wife's as he tried to calm his raging heartbeat.

However, Naruto took his silence as yes. He was aware that Sasuke had nightmares of his clan's murder but he never looked as haunted as he was now and he wondered if there was something more in his dreams.

After awhile, Sasuke settled back on the bed. As he stared at the ceiling, something came to him, something that had been at the back of his mind the moment he laid his eyes on Akemi. It hit him full force and made his blood ran cold. Yuuzuki's and Akemi's age difference was similar to Itachi's and his. Worse, he could no longer deny it that Yuuzuki had the same potential as Itachi's. Was Itachi's curse still upon him even in his death? Could he never get rid of it?

_Please let me go, aniki_, Sasuke pleaded silently. At the back of his mind, he heard his brother's reply, making him shiver.

_I can't, Sasuke because to me, you are my precious foolish little brother. You and I share an undying, unbreakable fraternal bond._

"Naruto, I…" before he could say his request, he found himself held by Naruto. He calmed down a bit and he started wondering when things such as this would come to an end.

**TBC**

There! So how was it? Did I scare you? Eep! Chainsaws flying towards my direction. By the way, tomoe – is the comma-like shape present in the Uchihas' sharingan-mode eyes.

Next chapter summary: Sasuke began to treat Yuuzuki differently and it gotten worse when his son made his only wish known.


	22. 彼の約束

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC and unbeta-read **

Naruto belongs to noone but Sasuke

Author's notes: In the end, I just couldn't stop myself from doing this. Anyway, my PC problem is back and it's worse than before. If you won't see this fic updated in three consecutive days, that means my PC is dead and I am disconnected from the cyberworld. Let's hope things won't go to that point. I am supposed to post this 40 minutes ago but I am also encountering problems on

Replies to my so-called anonymous reviwers -winks-:  
mike : That's what I think too but Itachi's curse is deeper than that because they carried an unbreakable fraternal bonds and Sasuke is still traumatic about the murder.  
naruke: I did? -innocent look-

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**Chapter 22: His promise **

Combing his hair neatly, the six-year old Yuuzuki took a moment to look at his reflection on the mirror to make sure he looked presentable before he hurriedly left his room hoping his chichiue won't scold him for being late for breakfast.

Naruto smiled when he saw his son, a bit breathless, standing at the doorway. "You're just on time."

At this, Yuuzuki beamed. "Good morning, chichiue," he said before he regarded his otousan who had grown distant from him and shyly greeted,"good morning, otousan."

"Hn," was all Sasuke said before he left the room as he had already finished his meal.

Naruto frowned. He wasn't blind as not to know that Sasuke was avoiding his son, intentionally creating a growing gap between them. He wasn't stupid either as not to figure that it was Sasuke's dream that was the caused of this. As much as he wanted to know, he knew his husband would just clam up if he asks so he didn't. There are things that Sasuke would immediately confide to him and things that he would keep to himself until god knows when. Naruto knew that the dream, whatever that was, was one of the latter. But that didn't stop him from wishing that Sasuke would get over it soon because he couldn't stand the confused and hurtful look Yuuzuki was giving to him.

Naruto smiled to their child,"You didn't do anything wrong. He's just being his bas- I mean, cranky self." And when Yuuzuki just gave him a doubtful look, the blonde thumped his puffed-up chest with him fist and added confidently, "Take it from the expert."

**- SasuNaru is love - **

Every time Naruto was putting Akemi to sleep, the task of setting the table for dinner fell on Yuuzuki who never minded this kind of assignment until his otousan had started treating him with cold indifference. He couldn't stop his hands from shaking, every time he placed something in front of his otousan who was reading a particular scroll, perhaps some mission details. Although he still couldn't understand the sudden change of his otousan's treatment towards him, he was already in the state where he half-expected the older man to lash out on him.

The awkward and tensed silence hanging made Yuuzuki longed for his chichiue's presence.

_Hurry up and sleep otouto because aniki is slowly dying here_, he thought as he took his seat after completing his task. The two then silently started eating with poor Yuuzuki having a hard time chewing or swallowing the food. When Naruto joined them, he felt like the sun had shone on that night just so it could chase the chill that started filling the room.

Naruto, for his part, started rambling anything he could think of just to fill up the deafening silence. Talking mindlessly always came so naturally to him until that night. He found it so burdensome but he had to do it.

Unfortunately, Yuuzuki wasn't really paying attention as he was mentally encouraging himself to speak what he wanted. He could feel his hands getting clammy and pressed them against his shorts. He gulped and took a deep breath before he gave his silent otousan a sideway glance then at his chichiue who was now regarding him silently. 

"I decided to enter the ninja academy this month," he said.

Naruto looked a bit surprised before he smiled. He knew what spurted Yuuzuki to want to enter the academy at the age of six: his close friends who were children of the other rookie nine as well as Gai-sensei's team and who were also one or two years older than him. Nodding his head, Naruto started telling him the things he could and couldn t do at the academy, the teachers he would have and so on and so forth before he regaled the younger boy with his stunts as a student.

Sasuke, on the other hand, turned pale and tensed as he heard the boy's wish. He slammed his hand on the table so hard that it rattled the dishes and interrupted Naruto on his stories. A deafening and palpable silence followed, swallowing the three. Sasuke looked at his son who immediately cowered when he saw that his otousan's eyes started bleeding red.

"You.are.not.going.to.the.ninja.academy.ever," he said slowly and with finality before he stood up.

"But otousan-" he was cut off by the slamming of the door.

Naruto looked after the door then at his frowning son, "I'll talk to him. Eat your dinner." Then he left to search for his spouse and he found him in the study room with his shoulders hunched forward as he leaned his forehead against the cold wall.

His nightmare had propelled Sasuke to not only go against the idea of Yuuzuki going to the ninja academy but also to decide to send Yuuzuki to one of the best schools in the Fire country next year. It would be better if Yuuzuki stayed away from the village and had a good education that has nothing to do with being a ninja. It was better for Yuuzuki and for the rest of his family.

"Sasuke?" he heard Naruto softly called as he joined him in the study room. He looked at the confused blonde over his shoulder before he closed his eyes.

"Yuuzuki is not only hurt but confused by everything, Sasuke. Me too."

Like waterfalls spilling from the edge of a high place, words cascaded from his lips as he finally told Naruto of his chilling nightmare. The latter leaned against the wall to steady himself as he learned what had brought the sudden coldness from Sasuke. He wanted to reach his husband and held him but the look on his face stopped Naruto from doing so. 

"I'm sorry for that, Sasuke," he said but he couln't stop himself from hurting from Sasuke's opinion of their son. It was wrong of Sasuke to think like that although he was somehow touched that Sasuke was worried about his family. Completely and utterly wrong.

"Don't be," was the shaky reply.

Then the atmosphere changed completely as angry words stumbled out from Naruto's lips, "So you won't let him go to the academy because of that nightmare?"

Sasuke straightened to regard his fuming wife coolly, "It could be a warning. I couldn't bear to lose you all, especially not you, Naruto."

The blue eyes were pleading, trying to reach him to whatever world the nightmare plummeted Sasuke. "I see but he isn't your brother. Your thinking like that pains me. It is an insult."

The other man just shrugged his shoulder. What could Naruto understand? He wasn't the person who had Itachi for a brother nor the person who trained Yuuzuki the most so he could never know that his son and his aniki were way too similar, no matter how many times he tried to deny such observations.

"We are raising him in a manner different from your father's. He isn't your father's son but ours. YOURS! Dammit, you bastard!"

Anger, similar in Naruto's eyes, flared in those cool dark ones and he retorted almost savagely, "I know what he will be, Naruto. Why can't you not understand that? No, you couldn't because you never knew my brother and never trained Yuuzuki as much as I do. He had the same potential as that of my brother. If I let him have what he wants, he will graduate at the top of his academy class at age 7, then master the sharingan by 8, become a chuunin at 10, then at age 13, he will be one of ANBU captain and finally he will..." he trailed off as a particular horrifying scene of his nightmare flashed to his mind.

_You will all be killed by him_, was the unsaid statement left hanging between the two.

"He may have the potential to become all of that but you forgot something very important. Itachi **IS** Itachi, Yuuzuki **IS **Yuuzuki. He is not your demented brother and will never be, because he is my son!" Naruto argued fiercely and confidently. "And every time you see him as Itachi, look at his eyes so you will be reminded who he is!" Having said that, he stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

He found Yuuzuki slumped against the wall near the door, staring at him guiltily and Naruto knew that his child had heard a part their heated argument. "Have you finished your meal yet?" Naruto asked although he already knew the answer.

Yuuzuki shook his head. "Then let's go back to the table."

"Ne, chichiue, this man called Itachi, is he really otousan's brother?"

Naruto nodded and decided to tell Yuuzuki about his demented uncle.

And while Naruto was doing that, Sasuke continued staring outside feeling more confused than ever. _Tell me what to do_, he silently prayed to someone over and over again then froze as he realized that he was silently asking for an advice from the same person who was causing this rift, this confusion - his brother.

Somehow his gaze was drawn to a dragonfly whose part of his body was caught in a spider web. But instead of surrendering to what should be inevitable, it struggled, fiercely fighting for his freedom. In the end, its great effort was rewarded as it found itself rid of the thin fetters. Dark eyes followed its course towards the skies obviously enjoying what he had once more before Sasuke closed his eyes. 

"Stupid," he muttered to himself.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

Naruto looked surprise when he found Sasuke in their bedroom, sitting on the edge of their bed. Instead of saying something, he decided to take a shower. Sasuke looked up from his hands to silently watched Naruto as he started shedding his clothes before heading to their bathroom.

"Naruto?"

The blonde stopped and looked over his shoulder to stare at obsidian eyes. 

"Can I take a bath together with you?"

Without answering, his wife resumed his walk to the bathroom and Sasuke would have taken the silence as a rejection except that Naruto left the door open.

Under the shower, Sasuke hugged his blonde from behind and pressed his forehead against his left shoulder. 

"Forgive me but I just don't want to lose you."

Naruto turned around to return the embrace, "Stupid, you won't lose any of us... at least not to dementia or to Yuuzuki. I promise you that."

**_"I won't go back on my words because this is my nindou."_**

And like always, Sasuke found himself believing in Naruto's promise.

**- SasuNaru is love- **

The next morning, Sasuke walked into the living room where he knew Yuuzuki would be reading some basic Uchiha ninjutsu scrolls passed on to every generation.

"Yuuzuki, do you have time?"

The boy looked up from his reading and surprise etched on his face as he realized that his otousan was speaking to him."That depends," was his automatic reply. What his chichiue told him about his otousan's brother didn't stop him from feeling bad that he couldn't go to the academy together with his friends. 

"Then do you have time to come with me?" 

"Training?" 

"No, something better. Something called enrolment."

Sasuke was then rewarded with a bright smile reminiscent of Naruto's during their genin days.

"Are you kidding me?" the boy asked totatlly ignoring the scrolls which had held his complete interest until few seconds ago.

"Do I?" was his wry reply and then he found himself hugged around the waist.

"I definitely won't be like your aniki, otousan," Yuuzuki swore. "I'm going to make you proud."

"I'm already proud because you're my son."

"I'll live up to your expectations!"

This time, Sasuke couldn't help but poke his son in his forehead, "Stupid. Nothing is more important to us than you living up to your expectations and being proud of your own self."

Yuuzuki grinned, "I understand."

Sasuke wondered if he really did but then he reminded himself that he certainly would because he was his son.

_Even if you won't let me go, aniki, I'll never be what you want me to be. Even if my struggles seem pathetic to you, it won't stop me from trying to break free and from being happy with what I have and will have. _

**_TBC_**

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_Editing a text file on-line sucks. Yey! Yuuzuki is now allowed to go to the academy and let's hope Sasuke made the right decision. 

Next chapter summary: Everything within the Uchiha family is A-OK and nobody knows about Naruto's silent struggle until...


	23. 疲れる

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, OOC and unbeta-read **

**Standard disclaimer applies as we all know it. **

Replies to anonymous reviews:  
SoraKitty: I'm glad to hear from you. I enjoyed reading your reviews.  
mike: LOL In a way, I'm glad my PC doesn't hate me that much... yet.  
nicole:Really? Anyway,I'm glad you are fine now. -giggles-

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**Chapter 23: His struggle**

**_Blasted Hokage! He's not doing a proper job.  
He could definitely do more.  
He should improve Konoha more. Spend more time thinking about the village instead of getting mushy with that Uchiha.  
What a sloppy hokage. He's probably the worst._**

These were few of the statements he heard being whispered behind his back when they thought his sensitive ears won't hear them anymore. Other ststements were degrading that it made his heart bleed while others spiraled around his head almost driving him to madness.

But instead of killing those villagers as Kyuubi strongly suggested, he decided to work harder without risking his relationship with his family.

When he was ensured that his family was now in a deep slumber, he would slipped out from the house to walk around the village, hidden in the shadows thinking of ways to improve the village. Even the guards on patrol would never notice his presence no matter how sharp their senses were. Sometimes, Naruto would burn the candle as he poured his attention over scrolls of information while his hand was busy writing notes.

Naruto didn't know that his efforts were like rain falling to the dessert - always never enough. He gave more to the village… more and more until there was no time left for himself. He pushed harder, wanting to please all the villagers because it was his responsibility as the hokage to do so. In his desire to live up to everybody's expectations, he had forgotten his welfare. In his wish to make every villager he offered all the things that he could offer. He stifled the demands of his body; ignored Kyuubi's warning because somehow, in serving others he found meaning of his existence as a hokage even if such meaning was slowly destroying him as a person.

He didn't notice that as he gave more, few of the villagers selfishly demanded more because to them hokage existed to serve and pamper them.

In addition, because Naruto was secretive with his ways, not even Sasuke noticed the changes of his behavior. Naruto's deadly habits continued without anyone being aware. He was slipping towards destruction and this time nobody was there to take his hand.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

After a serious meeting and a personal conversation with Sumaru, current hoshikage and one of Naruto's close friends, Naruto started walking him to the door.

He felt so light… lighter than he felt every time he and Sumaru would have a friendly chat. He felt like floating or to be exact gliding across the floor and he couldn't help but giggle childishly. Then the next moment, the carpeted floor became the ceiling and the pristine ceiling became the floor but it didn't matter because he was flying, rising upwards and falling, spiraling downwards. Higher, he found himself free. Lower, he found himself unchained. He was free of any responsibilities. He was free in its truest meaning. Free and light and it felt heavenly. From a distant he could hear a voice but he never paid any attention to it as he surge upwards and plunge downwards.

A panicking Sumaru looked at Naruto in his arms. He had just caught the blonde in time before he would hit the floor. He was shaking him and calling his name and when there was no response, he became more worried. For a brief second he wondered if the ANBU guards stationed outside would think that he had attack their hokage. Then he shook such thought and leaped towards the door. He stepped outside and saw Konohamaru walking towards him.

"Konohamaru-san, Naruto is-"

He never got to finish his sentence because his shaky voice and worried look was good enough to cause the blonde's secretary and the on-duty ANBU guards to immediately move towards the room.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke had been looking after Akemi while supervising Yuuzuki's training when Mie, Naruto's former ANBU teammate before he became the hokage, appeared.

"Uchiha-san, you are summoned by Tsunade-sama to the hospital," he heard her say.

"Why?"

The woman just shrugged her shoulders, "You better go now. I'll look after them."

Trying to stop his heart from beating too fast and his imagination from running away from his control, he nodded. He informed Yuuzuki of his sitter and gave Akemi to Mie before he finally left.

_What does she want from me?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke looked at the too-serious Tsunade.

"How is Naruto? Do you notice anything strange about him for these previous weeks?"

Hearing his wife's name, panic slowly rose within him like a bubble. "Is something wrong with him?"

"I asked first, Uchiha." And the other knew from the sudden change of name that Tsunade wanted him to answer her questions. Now.

"No. He was in his ordinary self," he answered immediately. "Is there something wrong?"

"He was brought here unconscious. Hoshikage-sama said that Naruto just collapsed."

"W-what? Is he okay? Is there something wrong with him?"

"Just fatigue. He'll be okay."

Sasuke frowned. How could Naruto reach that state when he always made sure that he got enough rest? More importantly, how come he, his husband, didn't notice any signs? He knew fatigue symptoms, having read them from some books and he was sure that Naruto wasn't showing any signs of suffering fatigue. He was his usual cheerful self. Did he use some henge? No, that couldn't be. He would have found it sooner or later anyway so why then didn't he notice anything? He got angry with himself when he couldn't answer his questions.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Naruto opened his eyes, he found himself staring at a pristine white ceiling and the antiseptic scent told him that he was in the hospital.

"Glad you're awake," a lazy voice greeted him from the window. He turned his head to the right and saw a bored-looking Shikamaru sitting on the window ledge, obviously gazing at the clouds until a second ago.

"What happened to Sumaru?"

"He left two days ago after being assured that you are okay."

"Wh- How long had I been sleeping?"

"Almost four days," then frowning he added, "You had us all worried."

Naruto looked away then sat up. He had no time to be lying around in bed and sleeping because as it was, he was already behind his schedule. He was about to leave his bed when Shikamaru pushed him back making the blonde growl.

"I am running late, Shika."

"Naruto, you're troublesome as always. Do you know why you collapse?"

"Tell me when I have free time," and he tried once more to get out but the lazy genius pushed him back once more.

"Don't make me tie you to the bed," he threatened. "You overworked yourself, Naruto."

Overworked? How could he overwork himself when there were still a lot of things he needed to deal with?

"I can't rest all day!" he retorted, "The villagers won't be pleased about this."

"Villagers?" he echoed and his gut told him that something bad had happened or was still happening. He never liked it to see his friend suffering especially if it was done by some villager who could not appreciate Naruto for all that he was. If these assholes caused permanent damage to the blond, Shikamaru was sure he would not be the only one who would be plotting the village's complete annihilation

And before Naruto could stop himself, he told the brunette about the complaints he had heard from the villagers and what he had done.

After hearing his friend's story, Shikamaru frowned, obviously displeased with those villagers. He scratched his head before he looked at the blonde who was kind and considerate to a fault, "Nobody can please everybody, Naruto. The only thing you can do is do what you think is good for the majority." He wanted to stop there but something in the way Naruto was looking at him made him continue, "We all know you're doing your best and anyone who can't see that is hopelessly blind and stupid. You're doing good, Naruto and I'm not saying this as your friend but as your subordinate and a Konoha villager."

He stood up and as he made his way to the door, he stopped and added, "And yeah, it's okay to be selfish once in a while." And then he left the room and nodded to Naruto's spouse who was leaning against the wall near the door. Judging by the aura Sasuke was emanating, Shikamaru didn't have to ask to know that the former had heard the conversation.

Naruto looked up when his door opened to see a frowning Sasuke walking inside. The blonde immediately gave him an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," he said so sure that it was him that put his spouse in a bad mood. He bowed his head, waiting for the scolding and the trashing talk he so deserved but none of that came as he found himself pulled against a familiar hard chest.

Sasuke really did have every intention to scold Naruto for doing some reckless things but when he saw the blonde looking so meek and ready for his scolding, Sasuke's anger, frustration and annoyance gave way to gentleness.

"Naruto," he heard Sasuke say so softly. That was that. There were no harsh words or anything and Naruto was glad for that.

"Like a trunk that has branches, you have us to help you," Sasuke whispered as he held his wife tightly, trying to infuse his strength to Naruto's weak body. "Don't struggle on your own because we're here for you. I'm always here for you."

_I'll be your pillar of strength._

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered back, his hands clutching the front of Sasuke's shirt. It was in moments like this when he could feel Sasuke's strong arms holding him safe that made realize how vulnerable he was and how he badly needed the other man.

"You may be the hokage but it's okay to ask for help; it's okay to say you're tired and rest." The ANBU captain then leaned back to push away the blonde hair covering Naruto's eyes. "Never forget that." And then Sasuke swooped down to take those luscious lips for a gentle kiss and Naruto responded just as gently.

A moment after, a breathless Naruto placed his head on Sasuke's shoulders. I'm tired, Sasuke" he whispered as his eyelids started feeling heavy once more.

"Then rest," was Sasuke's reply and he felt Naruto's lips moved against his neck to say a wordless 'thank you'.

Later on, Sasuke settled a sleeping Naruto back on the hospital bed and when he saw a soft smile placing on his blonde's lips, he couldn't resist but to give it a butterfly kiss.

"Goodnight, dobe" he whispered as he continued watching Naruto sleep.

**TBC**

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Just a bit fluffy chapter because this fic had turned more angsty than I planned so I am shifting the mood. 

Next chapter summary: If Sasuke feared that Yuuzuki will turn to Itachi, Gaara, on the other hand, believe that Yuuzuki will turn out into someone like three of his favorite persons unless Naruto would take the necessary measures.-giggles-


	24. 夕月の道

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OC and unbeta-read **

**We all know who Naruto belongs to, ne? -winks- **

**To naruke: That's okay. Anyway, I am now ignoring the angsty SasuNaru plot bunny but it won't be long before I'll lavish it with all my attention again.**

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**Chapter 24: The path of the evening moon**

A warm and welcoming smile and a firm handshake was the usual greeting practiced by Naruto every time he met with representatives, kages and diplomats. But there was a man who received none of these – Gaara. Every time he walked into the hokage's office, he found himself glomped by his blonde friend. As if that wasn't enough Naruto would give Gaara his dazzling smile making the redhead felt like he was so close to the sun.

Gaara quirked an eyebrow in slight irritation as Naruto looked at him expectantly. When no announcement came from his friend, Naruto frowned then sighed, "Here I am thinking that you came here to personally tell me that you're getting married and you want me to be your best man."

With careless indifference, the kazekage shrugged his shoulders and took his seat. "I'm married."

"To the village, I know" he replied almost in exasperation, "but it's different. The village won't be there every time you feel bad; they don't complete you in every aspect; they won't be there waiting at your home to welcome you; they won't eat your cooking; they won't-"

"Warm my bed?" Naruto immediately blushed beet red making his friend smirked. "Just because you found someone who does these things and more doesn't mean I should also start looking for one. I'm completely content with having nieces and nephews and with what I'm receiving from my village."

Naruto knew when to stop talking about these matters so he didn't pressed further. Knowing this, Gaara smirked victoriously although his victories with this matter were always short-lived.

_Gaara – 14 Naruto – 0_

"There is some skirmishes happening between one of our alliances and they expect us to interfere."

"Interfere?" Gaara nodded as a dark frown graced his face. Interfering was one of the things he hated the most because most often than not it brought more problems than he wanted to deal.

Naruto nodded but before he could continue, his door burst open and he was about to bite the rude intruder's head off with curses when he realized that it was his son followed by a very serene and smiling Sai. Yuu-chan, didn't I tell you something about knocking the door before coming in?"

The boy smiled sheepishly, "But I wanted to see Uncle Gaara so much." With an admiring gaze, he looked at the redhead, "Are you going to stay at our house tonight, this time?"

Gaara gently pat a mop of black hair and said, "I'm staying at Temari's tonight."

"Then, can I stay there as well?" This time the question was directed at his chichiue.

"You should ask Shikamaru or Temari first before-"

"Yes, you can," Gaara answered immediately.

Yuuzuke gave a whoop, "then Yukio, Akio and I can play with your sand, right?"

Although he still couldn't understand why Yuuzuki and his two nephews like his sand so much when it had taken a lot of lives and even reeked with death and blood, he nodded.

"Then I'll see you tonight, uncle," the younger blonde said and was about to leave when he remembered something. He looked at his chichiue over his shoulder, "Ne, chichiue, while I was reviewing for my exam, uncle Sai mentioned that you don't have a penis. What is that?"

Different emotions danced across Naruto's face before anger swoop to settle down like an avenging hawk. Deadly aura started emanating from his shaking frame.

"Sai, you asshole!" he said. His calm voice was belied the raging anger inside him. He leaped over his table, upsetting some papers as he lunged towards the still smiling Sai who immediately move away from Naruto's flying kick.

Innocent as ever, Yuuzuki looked at his red-haired uncle and asked, "What's an asshole?"

An eyebrow twitched as Gaara heard the question and in his poker face answered so calmly, "Uncle Sai's nickname." And the boy immediately nodded, filing the word in his mind for later use.

Unfazed by the murderous aura he was feeling from the hokage, Sai said soothingly, "Calm down, Naruto. You don't want Yuuzuki to learn such crude word now, do we?"

That statement seemed to provoke the blonde more and immediately started chasing Sai around the office. "Sai, stop moving around!" Naruto ordered as he missed the current leader of the Root once more.

"If I do that, it will pose a problem for me later on." Not in the mood to fight back, Sai decided to stand behind Yuuzuki and used the latter as a shield against any of attacks.

"Yuuzuki-kun, if you won't ask this question to anybody for two years, I'll tell you what penis is."

"Really?" The boy was somehow oblivious to the glares his father was throwing to the man behind him.

"Yes. We won't mention any of this because this is a secret."

The boy nodded and Sai was still using him as a shield as they left the office.

"Yuuzuki will definitely turn into a pervert," a slightly amused Gaara stated as the door closed behind the two. The scowl on Naruto's face would have sent any lesser ninjas running but the Kazekage wasn't under that category so he remained unaffected.

"I'm stating the facts, Naruto. His favorite persons include Kakashi and Jiraiya-sama; he spends too much time with Sai and to top it off, his otousan is also a pervert."

"Sasuke is not a pervert!"

"Really? Your blushing face tells me otherwise."

The blonde pouted darkly. There was no way in hell or heaven he would let his son join their ranks. Never!

**- SasuNaru is love - **

Yuuzuki sent a happy wave to Izumo and Kotetsu as he entered the building, never stopping to start his usual conversation with the two. Then he smiled at the ANBU guards who were stationed in the office.

"Give me a sec," he told one of them as they were about to open the doors. He caught his breath and righted his hair which was tousled after running so fast from the academy to there. He then gave a thumbs-up sign to the guards and walked into the office where his parents were in the middle of discussing something important, at least that was what he thought judging by their faces.

The two looked up to gaze at their son who grinned before he placed a scroll bearing the academy seal on Naruto's table. They knew what it was judging by the seal, yes just as Sasuke expected, Yuuzuki was now going to graduate.

"Ceremony is tomorrow afternoon, can you two make it?"

"Of course! How could we miss it especially when you are graduating at the top of your class," his chichiue answered.

"Well done, Yuuzuki," his otousan said in a voice tinted with pride.

"That is expected because," he looked at Naruto, "I am not a dead last."

"Why you…" he was about to do bodily harm to his son for such insult but an amused Sasuke held him back. But Yuuzuki wasn't done as he trained his eyes to his otousan, "And I'm not some boy who could only think of getting stronger for revenge causing his improvement not to reach its maximum."

This time, it was Naruto who was holding an irked Sasuke back. Yuuzuki gave them an arrogant smirk before he left, chuckling.

"Now, you finally know what it felt like to be given a holier-than-thou smirk," Naruto said as Sasuke calmed down. "I don't understand why both he and Akemi had all Uchiha characteristics except their eyes."

"It just shows that I am superior, dobe."

That arrogant smirk again!

"Let's see about that," Naruto said as he pounced on Sasuke.

Somehow, Sasuke found himself mentally patting himself in victory while Naruto was doing wonders with his tongue.

**TBC**

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What can I say? I was trying to have fun with this chapter. In my opinion, Sai can be just as playful as he can be cunning.

Next chapter summary: Unadultered pain rushed within him and cocooning him. Naruto tried to breath deeply to ignore the pain but his breaths came as pants as he found himself suffocated by pain and he just knew by experience that he...


	25. 美木

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OC and unbeta-read **

**Insert standard disclaimer here. **

**Review to anonymous reviewer:  
fan: I'm glad you enjoyed it.  
mike: LOL. Poor Naruto. You should give him some points too. **

* * *

**Chapter 25: Beautiful tree**

For the umpteenth time, Sasuke growled like a caged and angry animal. In a way he was angry. No, he wasn't exactly angry he was just annoyed because an 8-month pregnant Naruto wouldn't listen to him. The blonde insisted that he should personally, instead of sending his representative, attend the leader summit held in the Sand Village. In the end, Sasuke had no choice but to let him. The only consolation he got was that the council members decided to let his and Naruto's former ANBU team accompany him to the event.

An irritated Naruto looked at Sasuke's general direction when he heard the growl once more. That sound was not definitely helping the hokage who was close to losing his temper because of the scorching heat of the sun and the slow pace they were taking due to his pregnancy. But instead of snapping at his husband, he remained quiet knowing that Sasuke was just worried about him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke cracked an eye open to look at the Naruto who was occupying the sleeping bag next to his in the tent that the two shared only to find the blonde gone causing Sasuke to panic immediately.

He told himself to calm down because Naruto could take care of himself then frowned when he remembered that he was pregnant. He told himself not to panic because the place was guarded so there was no way anyone could attack Naruto, unless the blonde sneak to some place to pee. He assured himself that his wife just went to pee and was not lying in the pool of his own blood and… damn it.

With adrenaline pumping in his body, Sasuke hurriedly left the tent to start searching for Naruto and found his errant wife few meters away from their camp and he was sitting on a high and sturdy tree branch together with Mie and Yanagi.

"Naruto, get down from there!" Sasuke ordered in a voice full of concern.

"We tried telling him that, captain but he won't," Mie said thereby explaining her and Yanagi's presence on the same tree branch.

As if seeing the horrible scene that was going on his husband's head, Naruto assured, "I won't fall, Sasuke-teme because I took a precaution. I am using my chakra."

"Didn't Tsunade-sama tell you not to use chakra?"

"No. She only told me not to use excessive amounts of it."

Sighing in surrender, Sasuke made his way to Naruto and seeing this, the two female ANBU ninjas left the branch. When Sasuke was settled and with his back leaning against the trunk, he held the blonde.

"Let go of your chakra. I got you," he said gently and when Naruto did, he pulled him to sit between his legs. As if that wasn't enough, he used his chakra to double his hold on his blonde.

"Why are you here?" he asked as he laid his chin on Naruto's shoulder.

"I wanted to watch when dawn shifts to morning," was the blonde's reply as he pressed closer to Sasuke, seeking warmth just as he offered his.

The two remained quiet and content as they watched the sun began to outline the mountains' edges with its soft golden rays.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto swallowed back a groan of pain as he felt another wave of painful contraction during one of their meeting sessions. He could feel his body breaking out in a cold sweat and from the corner of his eyes he could see Gaara looking at him instead at Mizukage who was giving a speech. He could have wave dismissively at the redhead as he used to during the previous attacks but he could not do it because his hands were gripping on the edge of the circular table.

_Damn fucking pain_, he thought as it grew worse and he knew without knowing why he knew that the baby was coming out. Gritting his teeth, he quickly made few hand seals as he changed himself to his female form.

All occupants in the room jump in surprise when a popping sound was heard followed by the appearance of smoke and before they could shout out a warning to the guards waiting outside or attack who they though to be an intruder, they saw Naruto in his female form. The hokage smiled apologetically before he roughly pushed the chair causing it to topple.

"Naruto!"Yukie, the ruler of the Snow country, cried.

"Quick! Call a medic," while another one ordered.

All guards stationed outside the conference room tensed when they heard the commotion inside and quickly moved to the door when it burst open.

"Call a medic," Shibuki, the leader of the hidden Waterfall village shouted. "Hokage-sama is giving birth."

When Sasuke heard that, he stood rooted to the ground with Shibuki's words echoing loudly inside his head. Why is Naruto giving birth earlier than 9 months? What the hell is happening?

**- SasuNaru is love- **

The other Konoha ninjas pitied at their captain who, together with Gaara, was waiting outside the delivery room where Naruto was currently in. They could feel the fear and worry emanating from the captain although he was sitting so calmly like a marble statue.

Just then, a medic-nin stepped out from the room and approached the group.

"Naruto-sama is giving a premature birth," she explained immediately. And as her eyes landed on Sasuke, her heart skipped a beat and she decided to impress this very attractive ninja "Although there are several known factors for prematurity, half of premature birth have no known cause. The shorter the pregnancy term is the greater the risks of complications such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, vision and hearing loss. In addition, premature babies have an increased risk of death in their first year…" she trailed off as she noticed that the tension in the air had increased and worse, her crush had turned paler. "But there's nothing to worry about," she hastily said but found herself at the receiving end of sharp glares.

An annoyed Gaara looked at the name tag she was wearing and took note of her name because he would need it when he would talk with her superior later on.

"Anyway, we already have a neonatologist on standby and in cases like this, we usually surround the premature baby with his mother's chakra but considering that mothers are weak after child birth, his father's chakra would be the best alternative until mothers could do it themselves," she then paused to look at everyone.

"I'll do it, " Sasuke almost snapped, already disliking the medic-nin in front of him.

The woman smiled at him, "It's very kind of you to volunteer but-"

"I'm his husband, dammit!" the Uchiha couldn't help but growl.

"Oh!" was all she could manage as she blush beet red. "Then I'll lead you to the neonatologist so he could brief you with your task."

After the neonatologist briskly introduced himself, he immediately started explaining things to the dark-haired ANBU captain.

"When the baby comes out, I'll be running my chakra throughout his whole body for through check-up. This would just take less than five seconds. After that we are going to enclose your child with your chakra to keep him warm and limit the exposure to germs. No hand seals are required as this is just plainly producing a chakra big enough for your child to fit and to maintain the size and heat until he no longer needs it." Sasuke mentally took a deep breath and steeled himself for the seemingly easy but daunting task before he nodded his head to the other man.

Inside the delivery room, Naruto gave a triumphant smile as he saw his child's blond hair.

_Take that, Sasuke-teme!_

"Congratulations, Naruto-sama. You have a baby girl."

That was the last thing he heard before he was totally engulfed by darkness.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke, as Naruto's representative, attended the rest of the summit conference sessions and at the end, what ought to be just a party for relaxation became a party for the arrival of the Uchiha couple's third child – Miki.

**TBC**

* * *

Miki means beautiful tree. Let's just say they named her after the moment the two spent on the tree watching the sunrise. 

Yukie is from Naruto movie while Shibuki is from one of Naruto's OVAs.

Considering that there are appliances in Naruto world, it would be very impossible if incubator is not present but for the sake of my sanity, I ignored that possibility. Why? I just thought it would be endearing if Sasuke's chakra would cocoon the baby for awhile. It's like bringing his role as a father into new heights. If it bothers you, just ignore the part and pretend I used the incubator.

Premature birth stuffs... Thanks for wikipedia for that. Do forgive the annoying medic-nin but not to worry, the last time I talk with Gaara, he said her superior, upon his order, put her back in training.


	26. 夕空の下

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**Naruto belongs to you-know-who **

* * *

**Chapter 26: You're not alone **

He took a moment to observe the village from the Hokage tower, looking at it as lights glowed in the darkness like a sea of fire while the noises of celebration echoed in every streets of Konoha.

Being the hokage, he had made an appearance in every event of this celebration giving speeches, congratulating the winners as he handed out prizes, drinking alcohol beverages together with male villagers who used to hate him; spending few minutes talking with ladies who used to sneer at him and playing with kids who was too young to grasp the meaning of this celebration.

But even then he felt like an outsider while the villagers remembered how their loved ones lived instead of how they perished in the night when the Kyuubi attacked and how the demon was defeated by the Yondaime. In a way he was an outsider. How could he truly celebrate the defeat of a demon who had been kind to him than most of the villagers were even during his younger days? Where were they when he needed compassion and acceptance? Where were they during his birthdays? What did they do when…

Naruto stopped himself from brooding further and went home. He knew it would be lonely without his husband and his friends at home celebrating his birthday because he, out of masochistic whim, had scheduled all of them for the night shift of patrolling and attending to the needs of all the jovial celebrants. But at least this morning, his friends had dropped by at their house or office to greet him; Sasuke brought him breakfast in their bed and Yuuzuki gave him a bouquet of pretty flowers.

On his way, he smiled and thanked the villagers who greeted him a happy birthday and watched as they resumed partying. He ignored others, who in their drunken state, were shouting profanities at him and even just evaded the items being thrown at his direction. Naruto understood them and knew they were drunk so he tolerated all of them coolly as long as they won't do something stupid like attacking him.

The moment he walked into the genkan, he jumped in surprise as he heard voices greeting him a happy birthday in unison. Before he could turn on the lights, they all started singing a birthday song while Temari walked towards him, carrying a cake with the lights of the little candles flickering in the darkness. Swallowing back the lump of tears in his throat he blew the candles and then the lights were turned on.

"Did you make a wish?" Yukina immediately asked. Naruto looked at the girl who had the gentle disposition of his step-father, Iruka and smiled sheepishly. "I forgot." And his honest reply made all the kids present groan and the adults laughed. Honestly, Naruto didn't forget, instead of making a wish he decided to say a quick thank you prayer for his fortune.

He looked at all of his friends, "Thanks guys." Then he looked at them frowning, "Why are you here? What happened to your shift?"

All of them had the gull to look sheepish.

"Cut the crap, Naruto," Sakura scolded, "No need to worry. We have few people filling our shifts but if you feel like it, we are ready to accept any reasonable punishment."

"I'm sure you do. I'll hand out your punishment tomorrow" he said solemnly but the twinkle of his eyes said otherwise.

**-SasuNaru is love – **

He looked at his left side when he saw movement from the corner of his eye. He smiled when he realized it was Sasuke, joining him at the house's rooftop but the latter was bringing a bottle of wine and something else.

"Hi," Naruto greeted.

"Hiya back," Sasuke answered back as he settled beside the blonde.

Both of them looked at the beautiful heavenly scene the night painted for anyone who bothered to watch. They savored the silence that hang in the air after the loud party they had few hours ago.

A flicker of light coming from one of Sasuke's hands made Naruto take his gaze from the stars. He smiled as he saw the same cupcake that he had bought for Sasuke's birthday while they were on mission to the Hidden Rock village many years ago, on his spouse's hands. If celebrating Kyuubi's defeat had become a tradition to villagers, celebrating each other's birthday with a cupcake twice with its usual size was their very own tradition. However, it wasn't just a cupcake from any other store, but from the same store from the same village located between Konoha and Rock village.

And when Naruto blew the single candle, the two then started eating. The blonde grabbed for the bottle of wine and slightly frowned when he noticed something.

"You didn't bring glasses," he pointed out.

Sasuke chuckled, "I did that on purpose. Let's just drink from it directly."

Naruto blushed because to drink from the same bottle was an indirect kiss and anybody knew that. He also knew that tThere was no reason for him to blush, much less feel shy because they had done this before countless of times even shared torrid kisses and did each other too frequently that would be put even rabbits to shame. Anyway, the point was that he suddenly became shy and all because of the full moon hanging on the inky sky and the poignancy of the situation.

An amused Sasuke quirked an eyebrow while looking at the healthy blush gracing on his dobe's face. He opened the bottle, raised it in a silent toast before drinking it. He then leaned back on his elbows and gave a challenging look to Naruto.

"Dobe, it's not like we haven't done this before so why the blush?"

Seeing the look, Naruto grabbed the bottle and drink from it. He then regarded his spouse smugly.

"You're just too cute for your own good," Sasuke said but instead of kissing Naruto which the latter expected him to do, the dark-haired ninja lay down on the cold tiles of the roof and stared at the sky. Naruto followed suit and with their gazes towards the heavens, their hands silently moved as they shyly seek each other. When their hands met, they pressed it together – palm against palm. The blonde then let his fingers spread and Sasuke let his fingers fill the gaps between Naruto's just as the former returned the favor.

It didn't bother them that such simple gesture was usually done by couples who had just started dating because to them it just felt right and wonderful. And like that, the two spend a silent but romantic night together.

**TBC**

* * *

I decided to give Yukina (Kakashi and Iruka's adopted daughter) another appearance. 

Next chapter summary: He was not a man who was forgotten by his lover nor a princess from a romantic fairy tale, Naruto knew that as he stood at the balcony, hoping...


	27. 二人の話

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC and unbeta-read **

**Standard disclaimer applies **

**Another smut before another fun-filled chapter. Thank you to all people who bothered to review. -smiles-  
To fanficlunatic234: LOL I know. That's why in later chapters, they have to deal with Akemi. **

* * *

**Chapter 27: Their talk **

Naruto was about to enter Yuuzuki's room when he remembered that the boy was still doing a mission with his team outside Konoha so he proceeded to Akemi's room. Seeing that his second child was in deep slumber, he righted the blanket over his little form before he dropped by to Miki's room to make sure she was as comfortable as her brother was.

When he already did his rounds, he entered their bedroom and instead of going to the bathroom as he had planned earlier, he went straight to the balcony. He leaned over the ledge, sighing like a man abandoned or forgotten by his lover or in a romantic fairy tale like a princess waiting for his prince to appear.

He was neither of the two, really except that he didn't have Sasuke by his side in that very special day. He understood that things like this happened to any couples but that didn't mean he should like the idea of his husband away from him in their wedding anniversary day.

He was about to sigh once more when he felt a hand landing softly on his shoulder. His reaction was immediate. He grabbed the hand, twisted the arm and roughly pushed the attacker against the wall with a kunai pressed against his neck. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was staring into familiar obsidian orbs.

"Sasuke?"

"You already wanted to get rid of your husband?"

"Don't surprise me like that. I almost killed you!" Naruto said as he let his spouse go.

The Uchiha smirked, "As if you can."

"I can if I want to."

Sasuke just raised an eyebrow and pushed himself away from the wall.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Naruto asked. He wasn't interested in hearing the answer, he just asked in order to buy him a few seconds to regain his shattered composure.

"Is it now a crime to hurriedly rush back to the village so I could celebrate our wedding anniversary day?"

Naruto smiled and deliciously pressed his body against Sasuke. His words were teasing as he replied, "What do you think? Is it?"

The ANBU captain tore his gaze from those captivating blue eyes and murmured, "I got a gift for you. Let me get it."

But the blonde didn't let him go instead he tightened his hold. "My gift is now in my arms, bastard."

There was no reaction from Sasuke when his wife uttered that statement but that was only for few seconds before he gripped the blond hair and ravished that addicting mouth. His hands moving in a familiar pattern as he started getting rid of the greatest obstacle between the two of them – clothes.

Naruto kissed back just as furiously while his hands made a quick work on Sasuke's clothes never paying attention if he had ripped it because at that moment he wanted to feel his now heated skin against Sasuke's very own.

Panting and getting weaker under Sasuke's teasing ministrations, Naruto let his fingertips ran along Sasuke's chest in a seductive circular motion, "Sasuke, I'm kinky. Take me over that ledge?"

Sasuke grinned wickedly as he pushed Naruto on the ledge, "Yes, hokage-sama"

The blonde hissed as the hot skin on his chest made contact with the cold surface of the ledge. He threw his head back as he screamed silently when Sasuke entered him swiftly.

Then, he was melting, sublimating, evaporating at the same time. He was spiraling toward mind-numbing pleasure. He was hard at the same time soft. How did Sasuke always manage to make him feel contradicting emotions all at once? How could Sasuke be this powerful over him? How could he manage to produce sounds from him like he was some kind of a musical instrument?

Sasuke closed his eyes in pure bliss as he found the tight ring of muscles welcoming and surrounding his heat. After all these years of doing this with Naruto, he still felt like it was his first time. The emotions rushing towards him; filling him up was just too strong, too potent and too addicting. He brushed his lips against that particular spot on Naruto's back making the blonde moaned.

Closer to the fire, closer to the sun… he felt the heat engulfed him. He felt his body was burning rising towards the place that was nowhere, that was in the middle of the universe. He dived into the sea of pleasure searching for something precious. He let the currents flow around him; he let them guide him to that whirlpool of pure bliss. He let the echoes of the moans which were resonating all over him to thrust him higher. He let the wild rhythm to push him deeper.

Finally, surrounded and engulfed by water he found what he was looking for – two deep blue marbles and as he stared into those, he found himself being sucked to somewhere wonderful where everything was white and silent and all he could feel was the heat that he and Naruto produced.

When it was over and the two finally managed to calm their hearts and breaths, Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto and not wanting to break their intimacy, brought Naruto with him as he sunk to the floor.

Naruto leaned against Sasuke wondering why he was still alive after all that pleasure. He let the night wind dry their bodies before he grabbed his hokage robe to drape over Sasuke and him.

"Ne, Sasuke?"

"Hm…"

"Are you happy with me?"

Sasuke was about to scoff such question when he realized that Naruto was dead-serious. He nuzzled his wife's neck, licking away one bead of sweat. "You know, I am, Naruto."

"At one point of our marriage, didn't you feel like you regretted for choosing me?" Naruto continued as he reached out to place his hand on Sasuke's nape in tenderness.

"Out of frustration or anger, I wanted to leave and just forget you."

"How many times was this?" Surprisingly, this honest reply didn't make Naruto mad, a little bit disappointed yes but not mad. He seemed to understand it.

"Thrice or four times but never had I regretted that I married you. I'm sure I'll never do," Sasuke swore and his hold on Naruto tightened. And now that the blonde already know about this, he also wanted to know if Naruto felt sorry for marrying him. "What about you?"

"Six times I wanted to leave you and countless of times I wanted to beat the hell out of you but not once did I find myself regretting for staying with you. I could never because I just love you too much." Naruto just gave him a soft smile as if he knew the problems the future had in store for them and yet willing to take all of them head-on. Truthfully, he didn't give a damn about the problems because as long as he had Sasuke by his side, he could definitely deal with anything.

"Thank you, Naruto," Sasuke whispered as he rained his neck with butterfly kisses.

"No, thank you, Sasuke."

Naruto let out a soft moan as his partner nibbled his earlobe. He twisted his head just to have those seductive lips pressed against his and to feel that wicked tongue dancing with his. He could feel Sasuke getting hard within him and that made him hard in turn.

"Sasuke," he breathed, running his hand through that silky black hair. His blue eyes darkening with desire.

"Hm?"

"The night is young."

"And?" his husband asked as he started sucking his chin.

"You know."

"No, I don't," he replied back and all because he wanted Naruto to say it. He wanted the wicked invitation to fall from those kiss-swollen lips in a lustful and breathless voice.

"Let's make love all night," his dobe whispered with abandon as he wantonly gyrate his hips against his causing Sasuke to give a low muffled groan.

**TBC**

* * *

Next update is on Tuesday. 

Next chapter summary: It was a sunny day - a perfect day to have a family outing. And yeah, it seemed Sasuke is spoiling Miki.


	28. 遊びましょう

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**Standard disclaimer applies **

**Just a chapter with almost everybody having a line to say. I'm not so good with this particular kind of stuff. **

* * *

**Chapter 28: Fun-filled day**

Naruto looked outside from one of the windows in the nursery room and smiled, excitement bubbling within him with just the thought of the day's event. Wanting to strengthen the ties within each family of Konoha, he, as the hokage, had passed an announcement declaring today as a family day and thus a holiday.

"Dobe, I think Miki is hungry again," he heard Sasuke said making him roll his eyes. If there was one crime his husband was committing since Miki's birth, it was an attempt of over-feeding their daughter.

"I just fed her an hour ago," was his reply.

"She's your child, Naruto so it won't be surprising if she also has your appetite after all she looks exactly like you." Sasuke wasn't lying. Except for her porcelain skin which was an Uchiha trait, she was a replica of Naruto or to be specific Naruto in his female form. And just by looking at her, Sasuke knew she would either be a man's downfall or inspiration.

Miki made a sound which he interpreted as a giggle and a coy one at that. He gently tapped her nose. "Chichiue won't allow me to give you your milk. Isn't that too bad of him?" His daughter just placed her fist on top of her lips but he took it as an affirmation. "He's just probably jealous of you, after all I'm-"

He was cut off as a small pillow hit at the back of his head. I'm not jealous."

"Mi-chan and I believe otherwise."

"Why should I?" Naruto, feigning annoyance, asked.

A smirking Sasuke looked at him, "Good question, dobe. Why should you?" As if his teasing was not enough, he added, "You shouldn't be because even now you are still the center of my circle.

With a strangled curse, a blushing Naruto continued with packing a few things for the picnic. "Feed her and I'll definitely bar you getting close to her."

"Did you hear that, Mi-chan?" Sasuke asked dramatically, making his wife roll his eyes.

"Chichiue, I'm done" came a voice from the doorway.

Naruto gestured Akemi towards him and started fixing his hair.

"Where's aniki?"

"Ｓweets," was the boy's short reply but Naruto understood. Yuuzuki was obsessed with sweets just as he was with ramen.

"I'm done," Yuuzuki announced as he swept inside the room. In an affectionate manner, he ruffled Akemi's hair making his younger brother glare at him. Naruto laughed and fixed his hair once more, a gesture that made Akemi smile. He always loved it when his chichiue would focus on him.

"Yuu, make sure otousan won't feed Miki while I'm preparing."

Playfully, his eldest son saluted and sauntered towards his otousan who looked at him irritably. The boy shrugged his shoulders and said, "The boss tells me to."

When Naruto was done, he patted Akemi's head and announced, "Are you guys ready?"

Sasuke smiled and picked up Miki, Akemi gave a small smile while Yuuzuki pumped his fist in the air.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When the Uchiha family reached the park, their friends were already there and Sakura was waving towards them. Sasuke who was carrying Miki and Naruto approached them while their two boys ran off to their respective group of friends.

"The park seemed so small," Naruto commented as he let his gaze wander around. There were a lot of families with parents sitting on picnic mats while their children running around and playing. Laughter and fun-filled screams echoed around the place while happiness hovered over it.

"It's definitely going to be a success, Naruto," Iruka exclaimed happily.

"We should thank the committee for this," he said and was about to sit down when he noticed few families were looking at him. He wasn't stupid enough not to know. He looked at Sasuke who nodded in understanding.

Naruto smiled and planted a quick kiss on Miki's forehead, "Chichiue will be back in a short while." Much to his disappointment, Miki wasn't paying any attention to him because she was way too contented leaning against his otousan's chest. Seeing his daughter's reaction or lack there of, he mentally pouted as he started making rounds to talk with the villagers. He was beginning to get jealous of Sasuke. Must all girls, regardless of age, have to be attracted to Sasuke's charms?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke's friends looked amused at his sudden devotion towards one particular girl. It was obvious to them that the Uchiha was focusing all his attention to his daughter, in fact, every time one of them took Miki away from him to cuddle, he seemed to sulk. Few minutes later of almost darkly watching everyone holding his girl, he would take his baby back in his arms.

"He's worse then Neji," Tenten whispered between giggles, recalling how the Hyuuga genius was very protective of their baby girl. Even now, he still was which sometimes drove her in frustration. If Neji kept on restricting her actions in fear of her getting hurt and sick, their child would never enjoy her life.

Sakura smiled. Lee was a complete opposite. He'd let their twins play around with his reasoning that his daughters shouldn't waste their time and also, it was a good way to build their bodies' endurance, strength as well as improved their bodies' immunity.

"I wonder if Chouji would be protective also," Ino sighed and looked at her protruding stomach. She hoped that this time, they'd have a baby girl.

"Kiba is also protective of Yumiko," Hinata commented, "I think when it comes to daughters, fathers are."

Shino's wife nodded.

"I think he," Temari pointed to her husband who was trying to get some sleep, "is an exception."

"Even if he's lazy, he'd be no exception. Now, if only you could ask him to give you a daughter," Sakura suggested.

"Too troublesome," Temari answered, perfectly imitating her husband and the other kunoichis chuckled.

Naruto let out a sigh as he settled on the mat beside Sasuke.

"Perfect timing," Iruka said and immediately offered Naruto some food. The blonde denied saying he was full after the food the happy villagers insisted he should eat. And since Sasuke had to eat, he gave Miki to his wife - an act that didn't make Miki happy. She wanted to remain in her otousan's arms and she made it known by stretching her arms towards her dark-haired father. When both of them ignored her wishes, her lips started quivering and her eyes watery and reddish. Before she would start crying, Sasuke took her back and Naruto had no choice but to feed Sasuke at the same time pay attention to Akemi to make sure he was eating vegetables.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

He was the green beast of Konoha, respected and unbeatable and. he was the best taijutsu-expert jounin, feared and invincible so why, oh why, couldn't he keep up with these little devils whom he were playing with him. Were his trainings not enough? he wondered as he ran after his playmates as they continued playing tag game.

"Boys!" Ino shouted, "Give your uncle Lee some break before he collapses."

"I'm not yet tired," Lee replied

"But your wheezing," the bleach-blonde woman said and she started counting one to three in a threathening tone before the brats finally listened to her.

Kakashi who had been sitting and secretly reading his book let out a surprised gasp as he felt more than two bodies colliding his back.

"What are you reading?" one of Shikamaru's sons asked and Kakashi immediately tucked the orange book away. He was more afraid of Iruka finding out that he was reading with the kids around than of kids knowing how wicked the reading material was.

"Nothing," he said melodiously. The boy grinned devilishly in return and the next thing Kakashi knew there were more than 7 boys trying to wrestle him down as another two started looking for their orange-clad target.

After more minutes of wrestling and crying how unfair the silver-haired jounin was, Kakashi finally found himself dumped by these sore losers. He looked up when he heard Iruka laughing.

"You looked like you're pissed off."

"I'm pissed off. Stupid brats. They'll kill me one day."

The teacher smiled because he knew Kakashi didn't mean it. He knew his husband loved kids otherwise they won't have three adopted children now.

Naruto leaned his head back as he felt arms wrapping around his neck. His gaze locked with Akemi's eyes.

"I want ice-cream," Akemi said and behind him his older brother also voiced a similar want. "Ice cream cart is over there." To prove his point, he pointed to the other end of the park where the cart was parked.

"If you want ice-cream then I guess you also want balloons," Naruto quipped. Akemi scrunched his face in what looked like disgust.

"I'm not a kid anymore," Yuuzuki said.

"You still are," Sasuke interjected.

The moment Naruto stood up, Akemi started dragging him while Yuuzuki pushed him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Let's take a bath together," Yuuzuki suggested. A pouting Akemi thought about it for awhile before he nodded.

"No jumping in the bathtub," Naruto called after them while thinking that he never thought he could have so much fun with his family in just one day. He glanced at Sasuke who was obviously drained. With the games they participated, who wouldn't be? But Sasuke didn't mind because he was having too much fun. He never had this so much fun in his childhood and it seemed amusing and ironic to him that even in his age, he was enjoying those child games. It was as if he was rewriting instead of reliving his childhood.

"I'll give Miki a bath" he heard Naruto said. He nodded and surprisingly, the baby didn't protest when her otousan handed her over to her chichiue.

Humming a tune, Sasuke was about to start unpacking when he remembered something. He took out their new family picture from his pouch and stared at it.

With the clear blue sky as their backdrop, he and Naruto sat on the grass. He was carrying Miki while Akemi sat on Naruto's lap. Yuuzuki, standing behind his parents with his arms draped on their shoulders, leaned a bit forward so his head would be between his parents. To top it off, all of them were smiling with Yuuzuki and Naruto sharing an identical grin.

The ANBU captain inserted the picture into an empty frame and placed it on the top of one of the tables where their previous family pictures were located. He gazed at them each a proof of how his family had grown in numbers from just him and Naruto to them and their three children.

Before he walked away from the table, he said a silent prayer to his and Naruto's parents.

_Watch over them for they are my treasures among treasures._

**TBC**

* * *

-speechless for few minutes- This is almost like a filler. Miki is already Otousan's girl while Akemi is Chichiue's. Somehow, I have to give more effort in writing this. I can't find my momentum when writing this kind of chapter so it's a bit dragging and disappointing, I know. I'll try to make up in the next chapter. 


	29. 消せない爪

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**Naruto belongs to Sasuke. **

**I got this feeling a lot of you will be confuse if I don't say this: Text in bold and Italic are Sasuke's thoughts. **

**To my anonymous reviewers: Thank you.  
A special note to D/H: I know so if you feel like it, you can point out my grammar mistakes or better yet be my beta-reader. -shameless giggles- **

* * *

**Chapter 29: Selfishness **

Naruto was flanked by his two ANBU teams for bodyguard as they quickly made their way to the Rock Village where the chuunin exams would be held. Inside, he was annoyed why he had to have two ANBU teams. It wasn't like he couldn't defend himself during ambushes, right? He was the hokage for pete's sake and such title definitely meant something. Damn Shikamaru and Neji for insisting. Damn councilors for agreeing. Damn- He stopped himself and grinned as he saw an opportunity to prove that he need no bodyguards.

Like his companions, he too took his stance as 7 rogue ninjas suddenly appeared before them. But much to his irritation, he was pushed back by two of Shino's subordinates.

"You mustn't fight, Hokage-sama" Jiro, the vice-captain said. "Let them deal with those bastards."

"But-"

"We'll meet you at point C," Taro said to the rest of the ANBU. Before Naruto could protest, he found himself being dragged by Taro and Jiro.

"Don't worry about anything, Hokage-sama," Taro said in reassurance as he saw the blonde worriedly looking behind them. "They won't die unless you ordered them too."

**- SasuNaru is love -**

Reaching at the designated place, the three waited for their companions in silence. Once in awhile, Naruto fret his hands in impatience. Images conjured by his paranoia filled his mind, making him worry and less attentive around him. But he did snap out from his morbidity when his instincts told him of an upcoming attack. Unfortunately, the warning had been a second too late as few drops of Taro's blood splattered on his face and robe.

What the-?

"I'm sorry, Naruto-sama" Taro whispered between painful pants as he saw the sadness filling on those blue eyes.

_Don't cry. Don't be sad. To protect you is always my greatest happiness and my sole meaning of my existence. I had been useful to you and I'm glad so smile for me._

"But I have to keep you alive. Naruto, I love-" He wanted to say more but death had already claimed him and all Naruto could do was catch his falling body, still too shock to mourn for his village's loss.

"What's with that sad look on your face, fox?" Jiro sneered at him. He wasn't please that his plan to assassinate the blonde had been foiled. It had been a perfect opportunity to do when his target had spaced out. No matter, it wasn't like he couldn't try once more.

"Jiro, what did you do?" he demanded shakily as the incident started sinking in.

"That's supposed to be my line, Kyuubi."

Blue eyes widened and in the silence of the place, the statement seemed to echo loudly causing his heart to beat faster and louder.

_Why now?_

"I did nothing," he replied, flustered.

"Exactly," the vice-captain agreed with a nod of his head, "you did nothing." And when confusion tainted the blonde's eyes, he elaborated, "Your instincts should have warned you of the kunai flying towards you but instead of doing something, you let Taro took the hit."

"I didn't mean-"

"You like to see everybody dying in front of you."

"You're wrong!" he replied immediately. How could Jiro say that when he had attended the first meeting Naruto had with his subordinates? Surely, the vice-captain had clearly heard when he said, '_Accomplishing missions and executing orders are important but not as important as your lives so don't die on me – the rokudaime'_.

Those were his exact words. Although most people had scoffed it as a dumb order, an amateur hokage's inconsiderate request, a stupid plea or a childish wish, yet somehow all of them had respected him for that because it showed that he valued them not as Konoha's tools but as its villagers and they did their best to follow his order.

"Wrong? Don't make me laugh! All your actions say otherwise," Jiro continued with mad anger lurking in the corners of his eyes. "You love death! You love destruction!"

"I don't," Naruto denied vehemently. Despite the shaking of his legs and his hands he wanted to deny that his words weren't getting to him. How could he love death when he always tried to protect anyone from dying? How could he love destruction when he did his best to preserve everything especially peace?

Jiro knew the blonde in front of him was getting affected. The most powerful ninja in their village was now trapped in the world he created with his harsh words. He knew that and he pressed on, victory was within arms' reach because he was wielding a weapon powerful than any jutsu.

_I'll break you until you plead for death._

"Then why did you attack Konoha and killed hundreds of ninjas including the village's hero – yondaime-sama?"

"I know nothing. I was just a new-born baby at that time."

His reply irked the ANBU member more. "Stop lying to yourself! Stop pretending! The child who owned that body died when you are sealed into him. You aren't Yondaime's son. You're just a demon who's using that body as a container."

"Shut up!" he almost screamed while a part of him told him he could move; that he could do anything. But because the words brought pain like no weapons ever could; because the verbal attack caught him off-guard and did a big damage, he was caught. He was bleeding in pain and slowly losing himself.

"Truth hurts," Jiro sneered, "you're no different from Orochimaru."The mention of the traitor's name and the accusation made Naruto's eyes bleed red. He did nothing to be put in the same level as Orochimaru. Nothing.

"Don't mention his name in front of me and don't put me in his category," he hissed and beneath this, there was a silent death threat made, albeit unconsciously on the blonde's part.

Jiro smiled. "You finally showed part of your true self. It won't be long that you'll be showing your true form."

That comment made Naruto return to his normal self. Confusion and self-doubt were now running amok within him. When had he fallen into this spiraling abyss of conflicting emotions?

"You live with humans for a long time and yet you couldn't control your urges. You are pathetic."

But in truth, Jiro knew he was the one pathetic. During his time as an ANBU, his want of power increased until he found himself yearning for the title of hokage. But all of the civilians' praises were towards the rokudaime and his comrades' undying support and respect were saved for the blond hokage. Worse, he couldn't understand why. In his confusion and selfish ambition, he became pathetic because Naruto made him so and he hated the other man more.

"Why hide behind that human body? Why pretend you are a human when it's obvious you are a monster? Why call yourself 'Naruto' when you aren't? Why insist that Naruto and Kyuubi are two different entities?" Jiro straightened as Naruto stumbled back almost in fear. His hands reached up to cover his ears and blocked out the other man's words but the ANBU member gripped his wrists. "Do you enjoy seeing people die in front of you?"

"No, I don't. I don't want anyone to sacrifice their lives especially for me," Naruto replied immediately, his blue eyes staring at Jiro's in plea.

"They shouldn't," he agreed and gripped the blonde's chin tightly, "because you aren't worth saving but they don't see that. You aren't worth anything at all."

In his state and wishing for the accusations to stop, Naruto apologized but it only encourage the other man to continue. "You should be because you killed all of them; brought everybody sorrow! You tainted the village with your malice and filth. You desecrate the hokage title." This time, he pushed the blonde away in disgust and spit on the latter.

"You're mistaken!" he almost shouted, his body shivering.

"How could I believe you when you yourself are not convinced? You knew what you are." Jiro offered the kunai in his hands to him. "The greatest thing you can do for Konoha and the only way you can pay for your crimes is to kill yourself."

Naruto knew better but when an attack like this was sudden and he was caught unprepared, logic and reason were swept away by unreasonable guilt until there was no truth but the man's words and no sound but his voice full of hatred. He stared at the kunai which in his own opinion was beckoning asking him seductively to pick it up and bury it in his body.

Jiro stared at the blonde who had fallen on his knees and he knew just a little bit of push and he would kill the hokage and have the village to himself. It was perfect. He was perfect.

"Go ahead. If you cared for the village as much as you claimed, do it. It is the only way to show that you are worthy and to honor those whose blood bathed you."

The other man continued staring at the kunai.

"Die demon! Die and free us from your bane existence!"

The next thing Naruto knew, warm liquid stream in his hands. He looked up and his eyes widened in surprise.

The same thing could be said to Jiro who had his kunai deep into his chest. Even at death's door, he smiled, tasting his sweet victory. He may not get the hokage title but at least he damaged his most hated person.

Naruto's hands trembled like never before as he saw victory in the dying man's eyes. "You exactly proved my point. Thank you."

"No. It was out of anger," he explained immediately.

"You definitely love death and destruction. Get rid of yourself before you'll kill anyone else."

"You're wrong. Definitely wrong," Naruto said but even Jiro's dead and empty eyes told him he would never believed the blonde found himself defeated.

"Naruto?"

The blonde looked over his shoulder and saw Shino.

"I killed them," he said quietly and remorsefully as he looked at his blood-tainted hands.

_With these hands, I can never hold anyone. _

"Sorry about that, Naruto," his friend said as he took in the situation. "He had been acting strange lately yet I didn't know it was him who had planned the ambush if I didn't torture it out from my opponent. I still haven't known about his motive though."

Naruto smiled, as if nothing happened because hiding was his best defense mechanism. "Don't worry. I will send word back so somebody can investigate him. For the meantime please dispose Taro's body." Naruto looked at his fallen subordinate.

Shino nodded just in time for the rest of the group to arrive. He signaled for his remaining subordinate to dispose Jiro's body too.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Sasuke asked and reached out to wipe away the blood on Naruto's face but the blonde beat him to it.

_I don't want your hands to be tainted with my crimes,_ he thought. He stared at Sasuke's team and said, "You go ahead. We'll follow you after this."

"But Naruto-sama-"

"Are you questioning my order?" he demanded coldly, surprising everyone.

Sasuke then knew he was in his complete serious hokage mode. For a brief moment he wondered what had happened between Jiro and his blonde before he bowed and said, "Excuse my member's insolence."Hiko immediately bowed and followed his captain's suit. After that, Sasuke signaled his team to depart.

"Don't dispose them together," the rokudaime almost snapped when Shino and the other ninja almost did. In his own opinion, it would be rude to Taro to be disposed together with his killer. No not killer, he reminded himself, because he was the one who killed him. But still he didn't like the idea of Taro and Jiro being burned together.

Naruto approached and hunkered down in front of Taro's corpse. Against rules, he took away the man's porcelain mask.

_I'm sorry for everything_, he said silently. And instead of replacing the mask back, he kept it in his robe and then he watched in silent suffering and guilt as Taro's corpse burned into nothing.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

When the night fell and enveloped the whole place, Naruto dropped his grinning mask and gloomily stared at the darkness outside as he stood by the window of his room. It was nothing compared to the one that was inside him, constantly changing, forever growing and getting darker.

He stared at the porcelain mask he clenched tightly and felt another wave of guilt crashing like tsunami. He had been a fool… a blind fool. He didn't know that Taro was suffering everyday and he had no way to apologize and to thank him for all his efforts and for his love, despite that it was and always would be unrequited. He wondered if there were other villagers like Taro, silently suffering because of him or of his mere presence. He then remembered some villagers who even now were condemning him in silence for Kyuubi's attack. He was a monster in their eyes because in truth, he really was.

Jiro was right. He brought nothing but sorrow and death to any villagers. His existence was bane. He didn't deserve anything especially when he was bathed in blood. Everything he touched would be destroyed by his tainted and wicked hands. He had to face the consequences of his actions and those of his tenant even if Kyuubi believed and told him otherwise.

"Naruto…"

"Don't come near me," he snapped to Sasuke who had stepped inside his room. _Don't come because I had tainted you enough._

But the blonde wasn't the only one who was stubborn. Sasuke turned him around and felt himself broken when he saw empty blue eyes.

"Please," Naruto muttered weakly, half-heartedly struggling in Sasuke's hold. "Let me go."

**_You know I can't. Never._**

"What happened back there?" Sasuke asked worriedly.

"Nothing, I had just learned the truth."

The dark-haired ninja frowned. Truth? What did that damned traitor told him?

"Unlike anyone, I was never innocent," the blonde said because he wanted to say it. "I am bathed with blood and my soul is swathe with inerasable crimes. I am worse than shit. I-"

"Shut up!" Sasuke growled and his gripped on the blonde's shoulder tightened painfully. He didn't like it when his wife would look down on himself. It just hurt. It fucking hurt especially when he knew Naruto the most.

"This is the truth. I am not worthy. I am a curse."

"Not worthy?" he echoed. "If you are not worthy then why do you have people who cared for and respected you? If you aren't then why 10 of your subordinates fancied themselves in love with you and 29 silently loved you? If you aren't innocent, why are the village children always attracted to you like moths to a flame? Why do you have Yuuzuki, Akemi and Miki?" he asked and in every question he posed he slammed Naruto against the wall, hoping pain would put some senses in him. Unfortunately, there was no flame or even embers of it in those haunted blue eyes. Those pools which always burned and swirled with emotions were now abyss of nothing.

**_Don't slip away from me. Don't you dare leave me._**

Disgusted and frustrated he stepped away from Naruto and watched as the latter slipped towards the floor, too emotionally tired to remain standing.

"Cut the fucking crap," Sasuke snapped. His anger towards Jiro and Naruto's insults were the only thing that kept fear and panic at bay. Even if his dobe wouldn't say anything, he knew how much he wanted to die because the blonde was silently screaming and pleading for it believing it was the only way to atone for all the crimes he and Kyuubi committed.

"If you want to die so much then let me kill you," Sasuke stated. Knowing he killed his wife was better than just finding him dead because the blonde committed suicide. He preferred to see his life slipping away as his blood flowed in his hands rather than seeing nothing at all. He wanted all of Naruto even the memories of him dying.

**_Let your blood taint me. Let me carry the burden of your death._**

Naruto who had been staring at the polished floor closed his eyes in agony. Sasuke's voice was emotionless and the blonde could imagine his calm and grim face but he knew that beneath all of those, he was silently crying and desperately calling for him.

_I'm sorry everyone._

**_Could I no longer save you?_**

Sasuke approached Naruto and was about to plunge his kunai into his heart when he felt arms wrapping around his neck and the next thing he knew, his blonde was already pressed against him, crying. At that moment, he knew his plan- reverse psychology worked and he felt relieve.

Naruto cried. He told himself all his victims would curse him more but he didn't care. He was selfish. Besides, he could repay his debts and atone for his crimes when death comes for him so until then he wanted to remain the sun of the people who needed him. Most importantly, even if he didn't want to admit it, he wanted to be with Sasuke until the latter no longer need him.

"I'm sorry for being selfish", he whispered to all those who wished for his existence to vanish. _Let me stay with him longer._

The dark-haired ninja held him tight. "No," he said," you aren't". In truth, Sasuke was the selfish one between them. In order to keep his darkness which hovered over him like an oscillating blade, he needed Naruto. He had to keep him alive even if in doing so the blonde would suffer.

**_Stay because I need you. I always do._**

* * *

Hmm... I'm still off. So who got confused? I'm sure you thought this chapter is a fluff. Tsk tsk you put your guard down. -winks- 

Next chapter summary: In the end, Sasuke realized that the greatest threat to Naruto wasn't the villagers or his guilt but Kyuubi.


	30. 危険なものの爪

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**Sasuke owns Naruto. **

**If it's not then it's my PC giving me problems. -sighs- Forgive me for the late update.**

* * *

**Chapter 30: Despair **

What Sasuke like the most when he was sleeping was not the rest that came with it but the warm body pressed against him throughout the night. His body had grown attached to its heat and his mind had long accepted the fact that it was his anchor not only in reality but in dreams. So when he felt cold, he immediately started looking for that wonderful warmth but when his subconscious told him that Naruto had been pressed against him all the time he became instantly alert and awake.

He opened his eyes and found Naruto's staring at the ceiling. "Are you cold?" he asked and lifted his head a bit to look at his wife only to find dilated blue eyes. With that, Sasuke knew something was wrong with him but instead of panicking, he took the situation calmly. He checked his pulse and found it beating slowly but it was there. He then left for Yuuzuki's room.

"What?" Yuuzuki muttered sheepishly. He was sure that it wasn't yet morning because his body clock told him so. And he didn't want to be disturbed in his sleep especially when his body was still tired from his first mission as a chuunin. He never thought that the job of a squad captain could be that tiring.

"Chichiue is sick," Sasuke informed him calmly. Hearing this, his boy became instantly alert and unlike him, there was panic and worry in those blue eyes. "I'm going to take him to the hospital so I want you to look after your siblings, okay?"

Yuuzuki nodded and before his otousan slipped from his room, he asked, "Will he be okay?" "Yes, he will be," Sasuke replied. Even though truthfully, he didn't know what happened to Naruto, he wanted to believe that he would be alright.

_But what if he wouldn't be_? a little voice in his head asked.

_I'll die while darkness will fall all over Konoha_, was his reply.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Luckily, when Sasuke burst into the hospital carrying Naruto in his arms, Shizune was still on shift while Sakura was just about to leave home. The two medic-nins immediately attended their hokage and friend.

Sakura mentally frowned at herself. She was a professional and no matter who her patient was, she never let her emotions affect her yet feeling Naruto as cold and unresponsive as dead almost made her an emotional-wreck. She gripped her hands just to stop them from trembling. She tried to withdraw herself from any personal feelings she had but found herself failing.

_Please_, she whispered mentally, _don't let me fail this time. _

Checking Naruto's vital signs, she frowned as he realized that he had almost none. Was death trying to steal the sun and pillar of Konoha quietly?

_Naruto, don't go like this_, she continued to beg silently as her vision started getting blurry with unshed tears.

"Sakura –" Shizune never get to finish her sentence because Sakura, who understand what she was trying to say, nodded. With their own chakra glowing around their hands, they donated their own chakra to boost Naruto's vital signs. And the second they did this, they were thrown off from Naruto by an unseen force. They let out a gasp of pain and surprise as their backs hit the wall hard.

Sasuke who remained inside the emergency room because he didn't want to leave and both medic-nins were too engrossed in attending Naruto to convince him to get out, looked alarmed then scared like the two women as they saw reddish steam evaporating from the blonde's body.

"Shit!" Sakura couldn't help but cursed. Somehow, Naruto's body temperature had increased, causing all his body fluids to start evaporating. Shizune immediately moved and applied her chakra to decrease the temperature only to find herself knocked against the wall again. It was now obvious that his body was resisting any chakra applied on him.

"Sakura, I'm performing a seal around him to slow down the evaporation," the dark-haired medic-nin said and her hands flew quickly to form signs. "I need you to send word to Tsunade-sama."

_Please, please let the seal work. Give us some time._

Sakura nodded. They had no choice but to send for their master who was the head of the Konoha medic-nin. Although she had stopped treating people because of her old age, she had explicitly made known to her students and subordinates that she would deal Naruto's medical situation anytime until death.

The pink-haired medic-nin glanced at Sasuke hoping to give him an assurance but she couldn't because she also needed one badly and worse, she didn't know the situation Naruto was in so she just nodded to him and left to fetch for one of the legendary sannin.

When Tsunade arrived, the first thing she did was to order the Uchiha out from the room and the man had no choice but to follow. After that, she listened to Shizune about Naruto's situation before sending someone to fetch for Hinata. While her two students were concocting the medicine Tsunade ordered them to, the greatest medic-nin thoroughly scanned Naruto with her chakra then frowned as she found something out.

Just then, Hinata walked in.

"Just in time, Hinata. I want you to look at his chakra coil system with your byakugan."

Although not completely understanding the whole situation, she did as told. "His chakra coil system is enlarged and overflowing with chakra but it's not his. It's the Kyuubi's, I'm sure of it because it's red and very powerful," she said a moment later. "Tsunade-sama, are they merging?"

"Something tells me that they aren't merging," she replied. "I read from a scroll that every hundred years a demon fox's power increases twice than their current power. But I never thought it is still possible considering that Kyuubi is locked inside him."

"His body is already showing strain of this increase of power so if you would let me, I could close his pressure points to…" Hinata trailed off as she realized that there was no way she could do that because the chakra that was flowing in Naruto's system wasn't his but Kyuubi's. "More importantly, Naruto is-"

"I know and that's why I'm worried more."

"Tsunade-sama, the medicines are all ready," Shizune informed just as she and Shizune arrived carrying bottles containing different medicines.

"Naruto's body is reacting to any treatment using chakra so we have to treat him in an ordinary manner," Sakura explained to Hinata when she looked confuse why they weren't using any chakra.

The three watched as Tsunade injected different medicines into Naruto's body. Through hand seals, she made the room damp and misty hoping that it would keep Naruto's skin from drying too much.

Satisfied with her work she looked at the three, "I want him to be monitored especially for the next three hours. If after three hours, his body didn't react negatively then I want another shot of these medicines to be injected every five hours and I want him to be intravenously fed with dextroglucose. Make sure this kind of mistiness is maintained here."

The three nodded. "Good, now I want each of you to perform a seal to contain any power backlashes that may occur. Each seal must be powerful than the one before it." After that she left to talk to the blonde's spouse.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke knew the moment he walked with Tsunade into her office together and saw her gulping three cups of sake immediately that Naruto's condition was worse than he had thought. He steeled himself when those honey-brown eyes looked at him with so much seriousness.

"A fox demon's power increases twice than their current power every hundred years and this is what's happening to Kyuubi now despite the fact that he is sealed into Naruto," she informed.

_Kyuubi_, Sasuke thought. Did he anticipated this and told Naruto who didn't inform him or did Kyuubi thought it was impossible considering that he was nothing but a spirit now?

"If this continues for a long time," Tsunade continued, "his chakra system will then be damaged and some of his internal organs are already showing signs of strain."

"Kyuubi will heal him, right?" he asked hopefully. There was no way the fox demon would let Naruto die not after all the things the two went through together.

"I'm not so sure of that, Sasuke. Even if the fox does, not all damages can be healed by Kyuubi's powers especially if such damage is beyond repair. Rest assured we are taking all necessary means to keep him alive."

"Alive?" Sasuke echoed with his voice hollow and shaky. "What do you mean by that?" At that moment he wanted sake so badly but refused to ask some from Tsunade and even when the woman offered him, he refused because not only will the alcohol could dull his fear but would also muddle his brain, something which he could not risk right now. He knew the situation would call for his decision and when that time comes, he wanted to give a very good one.

Tsunade nodded, "When Naruto turned 15 years old, Jiraiya had told me after supervising his 3-year training that his body is already showing signs of strain under the fox demon's power. With this new development, there is a big possibility that his body won't be able to bear it much longer."

Naruto's going to die, he thought and he didn't know whether to cry or laugh hysterically. He was now a rioting mass of emotions and wished that this was just nightmare he could wake up. He almost jumped in surprise when a warm hand covered his now cold ones.

"And Sasuke, Naruto is almost 3-week pregnant."

_Pregnant?_

If only his wife wasn't in a critical condition, he could have smirked in happiness at the news he just heard but God, Naruto was going to die and if he dies then so is their unborn child. He'd not lose one person but two. He clasped him hands to stop them from shaking more and clenched his jaws to make sure no sounds like sobs would come out. What had he done to deserve this? He didn't want this. He'd rather face thousands of rogue ninjas with Itachi's strength and cruely rather than face this. At least in the latter, he knew what to do, he knew how to deal with the opponents.

"I want you to be fully aware of everything and I'm sure you wanted to. With the intensity of the chakra flowing inside his body, there is a possibility that the fertilized egg will be suffocated to death. And in the worse case, you will lose both of them."

Sasuke just nodded afraid that if he opens his mouth, he would be raving against some sadistic gods. And he couldn't even cry because the news hadn't completely sunk in yet and even if it did, would tears be enough? What was enough?

"Thank you," he said absent-mindedly as he left the room in daze, in pain and confusion.

Somehow the word about Naruto must have reached Iruka because he found the teacher together with Kakashi in the hallway outside the emergency room. He nodded to them.

"Sasuke?" Iruka said as he saw his very pale son-in-law. He was about to hug him when Sasuke shook his head. "I'm fine," he said. "I'm going to get some coffee for us." Coffee was good. It might now be as effective as sake but at least it would calm his nerves which seemed to go hay-wire any second now.

Kakashi frowned as he looked at his former student. Sasuke looked so calm and strong like a pillar but the jounin knew how close that pillar was to crumbling so he excused himself and followed the ANBU captain.

Without any warning, Kakashi pulled Sasuke into a hug. The younger male resisted at first but the arms tightened.

"It would never be enough. It will never be fine," Sasuke muttered as tears finally fell on his cheeks and dropped to the pristine ceramic floor. "We'll lose our unborn child or I'll lose both of them and it will be just the four of us and it will be lonely. "

"Naruto's pregnant?"

"Three weeks and there's nothing I can do."

Kakashi rubbed his back, "No, there's something you can do – believe."

But would believing be enough? Would his hope not be shattered in the end? Would his wish be made to reality? Would his prayers reach to heavens and would he be given a miracle?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Dread and uncomfortable silence hang in the air as Yuuzuki cooked their breakfast in the morning. He didn't like the fact that he still hadn't gotten word from his otousan or from any of his uncles or aunts informing him of his chichue's situation. He also didn't like the fact that he couldn't leave the house and go to the hospital because he was tasked to look after his siblings.

For several times now he had told himself to calm down and that despite the lack of information, his chichiue's condition wasn't critical and anytime soon, his chichiue would be home and be his usual cheerful self. But his efforts couldn't vanish completely the aching and dull fear throbbing in his soul and he couldn't put on the calmness he always manifested during missions because he knew this was different. Utterly different.

"Morning, chichiue," he heard his five-year old younger brother greeted sleepily although he had already washed his face. Akemi then frowned when he realized that it wasn't his chichiue who was in the kitchen. Frowning, he asked, "Where's chichiue?"

Yuuzuki didn't feel like dealing with his brother's nasty morning mood at that moment because he wasn't in his usual good mood.

"Eat your breakfast now," he said and smiled behind his brother where his three-year old younger sister was standing on her shaky legs. "Good morning, Mi-chan," he greeted and immediately fetched her in his arms and placed her on her baby chair.

"Where's chichiue?" Akemi once more asked as he settled on his chair.

"Out," he lied because if he told them the truth he didn't know how to reassure them that their chichiue was fine.

"You're lying. I won't eat until you'll tell me the truth."

"Otousan took chichiue to the hospital last night because he was sick."

"How sick is he?"

"I don't know." He was surprised when instead of asking further as he expected Akemi to do, the latter bowed his head and started eating. It was only few seconds later did he realized that Akemi was trying to hide his sobs by eating.

He placed a hand on his younger brother's left shoulder, "You'll choke yourself if you're going to cry and eat at the same time and I'll be sad."

"I'm not crying," he mumbled between sniffs.

"Yes, you are." Then Yuuzuki offered him a glass of water, "Here, drink this."

Cerulean eyes met another pair of cerulean ones and the gentleness on his brother's eyes made him cry more. Before he knew it, he had flung himself to his brother who immediately wrapped an arm around him.

"It's all right. Chichiue's going to be fine," Yuuzuki said in a soothing voice. "You have to stop now before-" he was cut off as Miki, who was still too young to understand the whole situation but old enough to understand the heaviness of the atmosphere, followed Akemi's suit. Having no choice, he grabbed Miki who was already bawling her blue eyes out and settled her in his lap. Somehow in the middle of comforting two of his precious persons, he found himself just wanting to cry together with them.

**TBC**

* * *

Look, I am digging my own grave and no need to push me because once I'm done, I'm gonna jump into it. Yuuzuki is so responsible -coughs- 


	31. 希望

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**Standard Disclaimer applies **

**To all anonymous reviewers: thank you and I hope you'll find the answers to your questions in this chapter. If not, you knew how to contact me. All rightie, on to the fic.  
P.S. Watch out for Kyuubi's and Naruto conversation. It's in Italic and bold text. **

* * *

**Chapter 31: Hope **

The sun rose and then set and the day fleeted without Naruto waking up. He was just lying on his bed and sometimes he would be writhing in pain causing an on-duty medic-nin to inject another medicine for pain reliever.

Visitors came and went by but their presence or absence was unrecognized by Naruto. Flowers on his bedside table wilted and replaced by new ones but he was never conscious to admire their fleeting beauty. He was just there in the bed completely silent and unmoving and in the end the flowers were the ones who observed him as his body was being pumped with different medicines in different dosage. It wouldn't be an overstatement if, someone would say that what held Naruto together were medicines which were personally made by Tsunade because it was the truth.

And in moments when Sasuke would see Naruto making noises out of pain as he writhed or see patches of skin peeling away, the dark-haired ninja thought about euthanasia. In times when his urge for euthanasia seemed so strong that he wanted to barge into Tsunade's office and asked her to do that, he would hate himself and would hurriedly left the hospital as if the devil was hot on his heels.

However most of the time, he would volunteer to be the one to give Naruto a bed bath and range-of-motion exercises instead of a medic-nin because it was the only way he knew how to deal with sorrow brought by waiting. He did all of those gently and when it was over, he'd quietly talk to Naruto about anything; sang him his favorite songs and kissed him tenderly.

Some days, all of them were gathered in the room and Sasuke made sure his children were reassured, comforted and most importantly made to understand their chichiue's condition. Every time he saw Yuuzuki, Akemi and Miki looking after Naruto in their own little ways, Sasuke found more reasons to believe. In a way, their children had become a symbol of hope for him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

_**Kit?  
Kyuubi? Are you okay?  
Shouldn't I be asking you that? It's your body that's taking all the damage after all.  
I'm sore like hell but I'm fine, I think and I'm sure you can heal all of them. **_

There was confidence in Naruto's voice that made Kyuubi guiltier. When the fox replied, his voice was apologetic.

_**No, this time I can't. Your body is suffering from strain caused by my increase of chakra so if I applied them even for healing purposes, it would only caused more damage. You have to ask that old hag for help.  
That's okay. What happened?  
I thought this won't happen again as I was already sealed but I was wrong so I was caught surprise and put you to risk. I'm sorry.  
I don't understand you, Kyuubi.  
Every hundred years, a fox demon's power increases twice than the current.  
So you are stronger than before?  
No, we are stronger than before. **_

After a whole month, eyelids finally fluttered open revealing dull blue eyes. Naruto blinked back few times before he noticed a mop of black hair on his bedside. He could trace lines caused by worry and fear on Sasuke's sleeping face. He felt pride welling inside him as he looked at his husband who had remained strong in the face of this nightmare. Weakly, he let his fingers tread through those soft tresses.

_I missed you, Sasuke._

"I love you," Naruto said so softly but loud enough to wake Sasuke up.

Sasuke stared at those soft blue eyes and felt his world bright once more, gone were the coldness, fear and darkness. He felt his heart flutter like the wings of the bird who had escaped from its cage.

"Naruto." He let the name roll off from his tongue like melted chocolate or like a gentle wave. In a split second, he had his arms around Naruto, holding him close, inhaling his scent and feeling the warmth of his anchor once more.

"You scared me," Sasuke whispered.

"I know and I'm sorry. Kyuubi too. I can explain."

Sasuke shook his head. "We'll talk later. As much as I want to hold you, I have to inform Tsunade that you're awake." Before he walked out, Sasuke stopped and looked over his shoulder, "Dobe, you're pregnant by the way."

Naruto smiled, "I know, bastard. It was supposed to be a surprise but this whole event happened."

"It was still a surprise but delivered at the wrong time by the wrong person." Having said that, Sasuke left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto couldn't help but squirm in reaction to Hinata's byakugan that was thoroughly scanning his entire body. That bloodline just brought the whole meaning of 'mentally undressing' and 'seeing through' to a new level.

"Pressure points are all open. Chakra coil system is still swelling by half of its normal size and I can still find traces of Kyuubi's chakra running through them. The strain and damage on the system is no longer life-threatening but still serious to cause malfunctioning. Fortunately, the chakra coil around his vital organs showed signs of good condition and Naruto's chakra stability had increased around 31," Hinata reported to Tsunade after looking at Naruto.

The Godaime nodded, "Thank you, Hinata. You may now leave."

The Hyuuga nodded and bowed respectfully to the two hokage before she quietly left the room.

"What now, baa-chan?" Naruto asked. The silence that immediately settled the room seemed stifling. Plus, the slight frown on the woman's face told him she wasn't please with the conclusion she came up and there was hesitance in her eyes.

"The healing of your body without Kyuubi's help would last longer than 7 months and during that time you have to drink some medicine to help you recover," she started.

"But the baby-"

Tsunade shook her head, silently asking him to let her finish. "Your body had to adjust to Kyuubi's increase of power and taken from Hinata's observation, it will also last for almost a year." She then stared at the couple, hoping that they wouldn't cry bloody murder when she would tell them the news. "In view of this, I'm sorry, Naruto but your body isn't fit for pregnancy or giving birth."

Cold and dead silence settled heavily upon them as the couple let Tsunade's words sunk into their mind.

_Abortion_, both of them thought at the same time. Sasuke glanced at his wife who became too quiet and calm.

"But you said few minutes ago that the baby was fine," Naruto whispered.

"That's a result from an external examination."

"Meaning?" This time it was Sasuke who spoke. He was getting confuse and felt himself falling into an abyss as things spiraled around him.

"I'm not sure at all about the real condition of the fetus."

"My body can handle it," Naruto declared almost like a shout. His blue eyes were stormy as unshed tears began to cloud his view. He had to make his body handle it because there was no way he was going to kill their child. There was just no way he'd sacrifice an innocent life for his own survival. Absolutely no way.

Tsuanade sighed, "Naruto, even if you keep the child, there's a big possibility of you having delivery complication that might kill both of you. You need to understand the whole situation."

The blonde shook his head fiercely. "I understand the whole situation. You're going to take my child away!" And with that he left the room in wobbly legs.

Tsunade looked at Sasuke who was about to get up, "I know it's hard but in situations like this, you need to choose the lesser evil."

The dark-haired man stared at his shaking hands. Naruto or their unborn child? What kind of choices did the gods handed to him? Were they really choices? More importantly, did he really have a choice or was this just an illusion of one bored and demented god? He wanted to cry but he couldn't because the news was still too raw for whole system to process completely.

_Somebody, tell me what to do!_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Voices calling him murderer and flashes of blood and gore made Naruto stop his brisk walking and stuck his hand against the wall to stop his world from spinning and getting blurry.

_You killed me!_

A voice screamed inside his head together with another flash of a bloody and slimy limb of a fetus. The image brought a new wave of nausea causing Naruto to lurch forward with his hand covering his mouth to stop himself from emptying his stomach. Fortunately or unfortunately, his stomach had been empty so all that dripped to the floor was just a small amount of whitish liquid.

"Naruto! Are you okay?" somebody beside him cried out worriedly. He snapped his head to the side and saw his 'father'. He wondered briefly if Iruka was there to convince him to abort his child but then the brunette gently took his hand and wiped it dry before he wiped Naruto's chin.

"I need some fresh air," he whispered. "I need to get out," he continued. He needed to get out and run away from the truth. Denial won't help because the facts were right in front of his face but if he could ignore them and run away from everything then it would be fine.

Seeing the pleading look the blonde was giving to him, Iruka smiled and slowly guided him outside but not before asking a passing medic-nin to ask someone to clean up Naruto's mess.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

At the farthest corner of the hospital garden was Naruto, sitting down under a tree. Iruka had long ago left him or to be more exact, he had ordered Iruka to leave him and the teacher could do nothing but follow what he wanted.

The blonde leaned against the trunk and close his eyes as he listened to the chirping of the birds coming from a distant. He still felt cold and not because of the cold wind that was now rustling the tree leaves. The coldness had originated from his heart upon hearing Tsunade's news and then spread within him like a sea of fire and seeped into his bones, making them almost rattle.

He glanced down at his slightly protruding belly and patted it gently. He looked at the sky, silently crying to tell him what to do. He wanted, needed and loved to keep his baby there was no question about that. What his worrying about was how he could convince everybody especially Tsunade and Sasuke to let him keep their fourth child. The task was almost next to impossible because he knew that they cared for him so much that if sacrifice was necessary then they would sacrifice anything. And he wished so much that things didn't come to this because he didn't need sacrifices for him to be alive, he needed support and understanding! Was that too much of him to ask?

"Naruto," he heard a calm voice from his right side and found Sasuke. And seeing those black orbs glinting in fierce determination, Naruto knew why he was there.

"No," the blonde said stubbornly and not looking at him.

Sasuke hunkered down, took Naruto's chin firmly so they could look at each other. "I know how you feel, Naruto but you heard the details and Tsunade-sama won't suggest such thing if the situation didn't call for it.

Instead of dignifying Sasuke's statement, Naruto pushed him away, stood up and ran as fast as his still weak leg muscles could allow him. He only managed to take few steps before he felt fingers holding his wrist in an iron grip and he was jerked around, his chest colliding against Sasuke's. When arms surrounded him for an embrace, he struggled.

"Don't run away. It won't solve anything," Sasuke whispered and somehow the blonde's resistance gradually lessened until it stopped. By then, Naruto was crying, wetting Sasuke's shirt in the process. Moments later, Naruto's legs gave out on him and he slumped to the ground, taking his husband with him.

Looking at Naruto in this state made Sasuke flinched and his heart clenched. But all he could do at that moment was to hold him tight and whisper apologies over and over again.

When there were no more tears to cry, Naruto whispered. "We're going to keep him, okay?

Sasuke tensed and replied gruffly, "Naruto, I-"

The blonde leaned back and looked at his spouse's face, distorted with pain and confusion. "Please Sasuke, let me keep him. Let us take the risk."

Both of their eyes were pleading for the other to understand.

_I don't want to lose you_, Sasuke's obsidian eyes spoke but deep within, the dark-haired ninja was more than certain that he would lose Naruto if he'd pressed on for the sacrifice of their unborn child. Why was it that he always emerged victor in the battlefield but when it came to matters related to Naruto, he always found himself in the losing side? There was no time to seek the answer to that question not when those blue eyes seemed to darken pulling him into its hidden chasm that rose up like hypnotizing smoke.

_Let me. That's all I ask_, Naruto eyes begs silently. It was and would be his only selfish request for a lifetime of which he knew put Sasuke in a constant overwhelming fear for almost nine months. He felt bad for that but he could never betray the trust his unborn chid placed on him nor could forgive himself if an innocent and pure life would be thrown away for his existence.

Sasuke looked at those azure orbs that seemed to float in despair yet he noticed that somewhere beneath that, he could detect stubbornness and determination that seemed to call out to him, asking him to join his crusade. Somewhere at the back of his mind, there was a clamor for him to reconsider his stand.

He wanted to keep both the child and Naruto. He really did but if keeping would mean losing both of them especially Naruto in the end, he had to make a very important decision and he did. He thought that as long as he had Naruto, they could have as many children as the blonde wanted but now he realized that his thinking was wrong. No matter how many kids they have, nobody could replace their fourth child who was never given the choice to see the world and live together with his siblings. Their fourth child was irreplaceable just as Naruto was.

"C'mon, dobe let's go back inside. It's getting cold."

"Let me keep him. I'll take care-" he trailed off as Sasuke placed a finger against his cold lips.

"I'm going to talk with Tsunade-sama."

Relief cascaded inside Naruto and his hot breath fanning against Sasuke's lips he said, "Thank you, Sasuke."The dark-haired ninja then wished for his choice to be right before he found his lips being taken for a slow lazy kiss.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Tsunade leaned back against her chair and remained quiet even when Sasuke had finished talking. She knew that in a worse case scenario regardless of the decision he made, the man was going to lose someone and she pitied him. She understood his position and his reasoning but it wasn't enough to keep her at ease. She knew as a medic-nin the risk they were taking but even with her words and any evidences she could come up with, she couldn't convince them especially the very stubborn Naruto so what choice did she have? In the end, all she could do as their friend and Naruto's doctor was watch over the blonde and prayed that things won't go as she had predicted.

"Both of you are really pushing me towards Death's door," she muttered grumpily but Sasuke knew what her answer was.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto looked up when the door burst open and saw his three children. He smiled. Akemi immediately ran towards him and smothered him with his embrace making Naruto chuckle.

"How are you feeling?" Yuuzuki calmly asked as he approached the bed and placed Miki on Naruto's lap.

"I feel okay, I guess," was his reply after placing a gentle kiss on Miki's forehead.

Judging that his chichiue had lavished enough attention on Yuuzuki and Miki, Akemi immediately grabbed Naruto's chin to get his attention. Seeing this, Yuuzuki just rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Easy, Akemi chichiue is still healing."

In reply, his foolish younger brother stucked his tongue out before he started a conversation with Naruto.

**TBC**

* * *

There you go guys. 

For those of you who wonder what ROM is: Range-of-motion exercise is an exercise in which a nurse or a patient moves each joint through as full a range as is possible without causing pain to maintain muscle tone and joint mobility.


	32. 奇跡

**SasuNaru, yaoi, OOC, OCs, m-preg and unbeta-read **

**Naruto belongs to him. **

**Sorry for the late(?) update. To my anonymous reviewers:   
SoraKitty: Nice to hear from you again.  
pedestrian: I'm glad you are. Yeah, Sasu might be an asshole but he have a lot of good points especially when it comes to Naruto.  
mike: Ah yes the time skips. If I'll account their growing up year by year, it would take me forever. -smiles-  
mou: -grins- You had a nice opinion about Naru's 'selfishness'. **

* * *

**Chapter 32: Into the world **

Knowing the risk he was taking and who he was putting in danger, Naruto religiously followed all the precautions necessary and obeyed Tsunade's advice. If he was told to resign from his office, he would do so unhesitatingly. Luckily it didn't come to that because all of his subordinates were more than willing to go all their way in helping him. They had voluntarily become his hands and feet and did any chores even as trivial as carrying papers for the hokage.In return for their gestures, Naruto would happily thanked and smiled at them making them, especially his secret admirers, feel rewarded too much.

On the other hand, the villagers seemed to understand Naruto's delicate condition and less public exposure and there were others who often spare few moments to check on the hokage at his house or at his office.

Naruto had never felt so special; so loved and at the same time useless until now. He appreaciated everybody's efforts and knew it was out of concern and affection but he couldn't just sit in the hokage's chair doing nothing but giving orders and entertaining guests.

He let out a growl as he felt another wave of abdominal pain that made him see white spots at the corner of his eyes.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A playful Miki entered into her parents' bedroom and the scene that greeted her was not the one she was expecting to see. She stood frozen on the ground as her fearful eyes stared at her chichiue who was lying on the floor clutching his abdomen.

Naruto wanted to assure Miki that he was going to be alright but no words came out from his mouth and any movements seemed to intensiy the pain. He took big gulps of air, hoping to fight back the pain gripping him.

Miki's blood-curling scream caused Akemi to run into the room. To see his pale and sweating chichiue made his knees shake but logic told him that it wasn't the right moment to entertain fear. With his otousan and aniki out, it was up to him to look after his chichiue.

"I'll get Tsunade-baasan for you," he said calmly. "Don't go anywhere."

Somehow despite the situation he was in, Naruto understand the meaning behind his son's last statement.

_Don't die._

For the first time in his life, Akemi ran like he never had before. He ran as if his life depended on it and in a way it did.

_Hurry, feet. Hurry!_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Since Tsunade informed him that severe abdominal pain meant no good, Naruto patiently lay on a bed as he let the 5th hokage examined him thoroughly.

Tsunade felt relief rose as her examination yielded negative to an illness. However, she was still worried that she couldn't exactly pinpoint the cause of it. She wanted to bet that the pain was cause by the Kyuubi event but what if she was wrong?

"Naruto," she started almost weakly, "I want you to be extra careful. Although results are negative, that doesn't mean we should put our guard down."

The blond man nodded, "Kyuubi and I will be careful."

"I know your will is strong but what about your body?"

Naruto smiled positively, making Tsunade sigh mentally. "I believe in miracles."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Naruto?" Sasuke, who had been massaging his spouse's back, said in concern. He never liked it when his blonde would suffer abdominal pain especially when it was severe. He knew severe cramping meant bad especially when it was accompanied by fever or chills – something that Naruto experienced thrice in the past six months. In those situations, Sasuke ended up panicking like never before as he watched Tsunade thoroughly studying Naruto's body again for any signs of stomach virus, food poisoning, appendicitis, urinary tract infection, kidney infection, kidney stones, gallbladder disease, or complications of pregnancy. In the end, the medic-nin would assure him that both Naruto and the baby were okay and reminded him that Naruto's body was still adjusting to Kyuubi's increase of power.

"I'll be okay," Naruto assured between clenched jaws. His grip on the edge of the hokage table tightened as he willed for the pain to go away. Few minutes later it did and he arched his neck to give his spouse a cheeky grin.

Sasuke was about to say something when he found his hand yanked sharply towards Naruto's abdomen. Worry was temporarily replaced by amazement as he felt subtle movements from the inside of his wife's stomach.

"Our baby's moving," he whispered, almost choking at the poignancy of it. Naruto just nodded. And for awhile the couple remained like that – Sasuke standing behind Naruto's chair with his hands on the blonde's stomach.

The ANBU captain straightened and was about to continue the massage when Naruto shook his head.

"It's almost time for few ninjas to report here," he explained. "It would be embarrassing for a ninja of your status to be seen giving massages."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He was certain that there were others who would give anything just to be in his position or just to give a massage to the blonde. Naruto held his hands firmly, "Why don't you grab me and our baby some lunch? I'm hungry now."

With an eyebrow arching elegantly, the dark-haired ninja asked, feigning incredulity, "You won't let me give you a massage but you would let me get your lunch? What happned to my reputation?" Before the rokudaime could retort, Sasuke leaned down to give him a quick kiss before he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke looked up from the hand holding a can of coffee towards him and came face to face with a smirking Neji.

"You need this," the Hyuuga genius commented as he sat beside Sasuke outside the delivery room. All of them knew that, two weeks ago, Tsunade had the best medic-nin on standby and even had reserved a delivery room for Naruto equipped with all the materials needed for any crisis that would arise during his child delivery. There was nothing to be worried about unless an unforeseen problem appeared.

"How long have Naruto been in there?" he asked, a bit alarmed.

"Longer than usual."

There was no doubt about it. Naruto was having a delivery complication.

"He'd been experiencing labor contractions for quite some time now and all attending staffs are sure that it's not a false labor. The baby won't come out," Sasuke finished with a sigh while a growing part of him was now regretting of letting Naruto take the risk. He wanted to bang his head against the wall. Why was he so stupid?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto knew the baby was not out yet and panic was now gripping his whole body. He had been pushing with all his might and he felt so tired now. His muscles seemed to give up anytime soon. Tsunade was right. No matter how strong his will was, his body was another thing. Faintly, he could hear Tsunade discussing cesarean delivery with Sakura who seemed to agree with the idea. Hearing their conversation made Naruto's skin crawl in fear of the pain that accompanied the method.

"One more chance," he murmured. His voice was almost unaudible but in the silence that had hung in the room, it was almost like a booming thunder.

"Don't waste your efforts, Naruto," Sakura replied. If only she could, she would have wrung her hands in distress especially when Naruto give another push and then another. Finally, as if pitying Naruto, the fourth Uchiha child slowly came out making all medic-nins scrambling to their designated roles.

Tsunade held the child by his ankles upside-down. When the baby didn't cry after few none-too-gentle spanking, she became worried. Taking a deep breath, she applied a very small amount of her chakra and split of second she felt a wave of amazingly strong chakra bursting and pulsating through his chakra system. Right there and then, Tsunade knew the danger of this boy and she couldn't help but shiver inwardly.

Drifting off to sleep, Naruto smiled tiredly as he heard the cries of his boy and he thought of how perfectly melodious it sounded to his ears.

_Welcome to the world, my son._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

At last, after all his panicking and being out of character, Sasuke could now say he could relax. He stood outside the room where all newborn babies were individually placed in a see-through crib, waiting for their parents to claim them. Through the window glass and in the sea of all new unfamiliar faces, Sasuke's black eyes focused on a baby with wisps of hair as golden as Naruto's. Slowly, a small smile graced his lips.

"Sasuke-kun," a gentle feminine voice said from his left. Reluctantly, he took his gaze from his son's and focused them on Hinata. "Would you like to hold him?"

The man shook his head, "I'm fine looking at him from here." He'd give the honor of holding their son for the first time to Naruto who went to hell and back just to give birth to him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Naruto stirred, he found himself staring into dark obsidian eyes. In his hazy mind, he couldn't figure out whose pair of eyes he was staring. Was it Akemi's? Yuuzuki's? Or Sasuke's?

"Dobe," he heard the owner of the eyes said and that was enough.

"Bastard, what time is it?"

"Past noon,"he replied and planted a soft and chaste kiss on his lips, "You slept for two days."

Naruto was about to demand explanation when he remembered something or to be exact someone. "Where's our son?"

Before the other man could answer, Akemi burst into the room, almost dragging his younger sister with him. Akemi immediately settled beside his chichiue's while Sasuke picked Miki to settle on his lap.

"Where's Kisho?" Miki said.

"Kisho?" the couple echoed owlishly.

"Younger brother."

"Your younger brother's name is Kisho?" Sasuke asked, a bit surprised that their children managed to come up a name while he and Naruto- judging from the blonde's expression at that moment, hadn't come up yet.

"Is it bad?" Akemi asked.

"Why that name, hm?" Naruto inquired as he combed Akemi's dark locks with his fingers.

"We love that name," he replied. Actually, from thirty-two names they came up, the name 'Kisho' was the only one that wouldn't cause any argument among them which always ended up with Miki bawling, Akemi grumbling and Yuuzuki angrily stuffing himself with sweets.

"It's a good name," Naruto said after a few second of thinking and Sasuke nodded his head in agreement.

"Let's go and bring Kisho here," Sasuke told Miki as he hoisted her in his arms. The girl nodded happily.

Akemi snuggled closer to his chichiue's as if silently seeking comfort. While Miki was ecstatic to have a brother and Yuuzuki having mixed feelings of having another responsibility in his hands, the feeling Akemi felt wasn't under the category of happiness. He felt himself threatened and he didn't like it, the least. To him, before Kisho's arrival, he had enough competition for his blond father's attention and now…

He swallowed the lump of tears that suddenly appeared in his throat as he wrapped his arms around Naruto.

**TBC**

* * *

... That wraps the Kisho saga. From here on, it would be smooth sailing... well as smooth as raising four children.

Kisho means one who knows his own mind.


	33. 彼の事情

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**Standard disclaimer applies **

**Author's notes: Sorry for the slow update. Work schedule gets hectic and PC hates me.  
Sarah - Unfortunately, for the life of me, I couldn't draw.  
mike - I wanted to make the delivery more complicated like delay labor but...  
mou - Here you go...  
naruke - laughs I'm sure you're happy to know that I don't have any plans of killing you through heartattacks. Giving you, yes but not killing.   
pedestrian - smiles You're right. **

* * *

**Chapter 33: His condition **

The Konoha council members were always known to be prudent so when they had learned about Kisho's situation in their own discretely devious ways, they had immediately called the boy's calmer and less emotional parent – Sasuke. But obviously they were wrong as they observed how his dark eyes turned red. Beautiful at the same time ominous as those eyes prophesized their untimely demise.

"Are you saying my son is a threat to the village?" Sasuke asked with his voice cold and crisp. He couldn't believe the gall of these councilors! They had disrupted his time with his child just so they could tell him that the boy was dangerous. Bastards and bitches!

"According from our information, your child had some of the fox demon's powers-"

"He only becomes a threat when you make him one. Whether he has Kyuubi's power or not is not your concern," Sasuke snapped.

"Of course not," the chairperson interjected, hoping to calm the already fuming Uchiha. "But the village's safety is." The moment he had said that, the man found himself under the blazing sharingan.

"Are you planning to get rid of him?"This time, his voice was colder than before and his body looked tense as if ready to attack.

The council members' replies of 'no' rose above the tensed atmosphere. As concerned as they were with the village, they couldn't find it in their hearts to kill an innocent albeit dangerous baby especially when they were fully aware that they would be dead even before the act could be committed.

"We aren't going to do such atrocity, Uchiha-san," another member said. "All we are asking is for you to rear your child in a way that he won't use those cursed powers against the village."

Sasuke snorted before he looked at the eyes of every person in the room as he said, "Naruto and I had little experience of rearing a child but I can assure you, we are doing our best to make them respectable inhabitants of Konoha village."

**- SasuNaru is love -**

"No, Miki, don't do that," Yuuzuki hissed as his younger sister playfully tugged Kisho's hand.

"Why not?" she asked innocently and curiously.

"Because he'll wake up and cry," he answered and to be honest, he didn't want to handle a crying sibling.

"But I want for him to wake up and play with me," she countered with a pout.

Yuuzuki sighed and shook his head. Just then, he spotted Akemi cuddling against his chichiue and he sighed some more. He already had a fool for a brother, a playful and insensitive girl for a sister and he wondered, as he looked at the sleeping Kisho, what kind of a little brother he would find in their newest family member.

"Naruto, we need to talk," Sasuke said as he entered the living room. The blonde immediately nodded, sensing the urgency lacing his husband's voice. He gently pushed a grumbling Akemi away and followed the other man into the study room.

"How was the meeting?" Naruto immediately inquired as Sasuke led him to a seat, knowing that the blonde was still tired even though it had been two days since he had given birth.

"They said Kisho's a threat."

"Those bastards and bitches!"

"My sentiments exactly," Sasuke murmured as he sat on another chair. "Anyway, I already settled the matter with them despite that I don't know the exact reason why Kisho had Kyuubi's powers."

"Knowing you, you probably had a guess and I'm certain that it is correct," the blonde replied.

"Let me hear it."

"At that time when all the chakra flowing within me was Kyuubi's, Kisho had inevitably absorbed some of it and at the same time the chakra had seeped into him. The latter isn't so difficult because the chakra that had been protecting and keeping our children alive during my pregnancies was Kyuubi's."

Sasuke had a thoughtful and faraway look before he focused his gaze on Naruto once more. "Does that mean Kisho has some of the fox's characteristics?"

"Kyuubi and I think so but we don't exactly know what these characteristics are. So far, he looks like any ordinary child."

His spouse nodded his head in agreement.

"Ne, Sasuke, are you mad at me or something for what happened to Kisho?" Naruto asked almost inaudibly He just couldn't stop himself from thinking like that. Because of him, their children had inherited Kyuubi's powers and he sometimes wondered if one day, one of them would be branded as a freak or as a monsters. From the way things were, it seemed Kisho would be the one who'd carry his cross.

Sasuke frowned before he none-too-gently kicked one of the legs of Naruto's chair. "Dobe, where do you get such stupid idea? There's no reason for me to get mad at you or something." Having said this, he leaned forward and gave the blonde a gentle kiss.

**- SasuNaru is love -**

A pair of dark eyes watched Kisho as sharply as a hawk, taking in everything that the boy was, even the soft rise and fall of his chest.

Akemi couldn't understand why he had to share his chichiue's attention and affection with him. The boy looked ordinary although he had his father's golden hair – something he fervently wished he had. He took another step towards his younger brother, hoping that their closeness would help him understand better. But all it did was make him realized how small Kisho was, how fragile, how vulnerable, how…

"Akemi," a voice came from the doorway making him almost jump. He looked over his shoulder and met his otousan's gaze. He straightened and watched as the man strode towards them. He cringed when he felt his head being patted gently.

Sasuke crouched down and met Akemi's eyes. Somehow, he knew what was going on in the boy's head. He had talk with Akemi about the importance of siblings but it seemed it didn't work.

"Do you hate your younger brother that much?" he asked.

Akemi found himself trapped in those very dark eyes but before he could answer he felt another presence – his freedom. He ran towards his chichiue and wrapped his arms around the man's waist.

"Chichiue," he murmured as he buried his face against Naruto's stomach. So engrossed was he with his father's warmth that he didn't notice the looks his parents exchanged.

"Ne, Akemi," Naruto started in a soft voice and the boy immediately and eagerly looked up to meet cerulean eyes. "Do you hate Kisho?"

The boy smiled and shook his head. "Of course not," he replied with honesty and conviction.

Naruto smiled and brushed his dark hair with his fingers, "I'm glad. I don't want my important persons hating each other."

Akemi beamed at him but inwardly he was disturbed. His chichiue didn't understand anything but how could he? When Akemi, himself, couldn't understand why he wanted to be the only person important to Naruto. All he knew was that, he wanted his chichiue's undivided attention and affection just as the blonde had his.

**TBC**

* * *

There... a little bit of everything and because of that, something is lacking. I miss it -sighs-.

Next chapter summary: Akemi finally found the answer why he wanted to be Naruto's only important person. It's Akemi versus Sasuke!


	34. サスケｖｓ明美

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**Standard disclaimer applies. **

**Author's notes: To those people who thought I am about to cross incest, -laughs-, you need to read this to understand that I am not doing it. To all anonymous reviewers, a heartfelt thank you for your time. **

* * *

**Chapter 34: One-sided rivalry**

Naruto clapped his hands trying to encourage the almost one-year old Kisho, to continue walking towards him. When the boy reached him without stumbling, a smiling Naruto nuzzled his neck. He then turned around when he heard a soft and melodious laughter coming from the other area of the garden. He shook his head in amusement as he saw Miki, now four years old, sitting on the grass with vines worming around her arms.

The girl possessed more than just an ordinary green thumb. Unlike her two brothers, she had a perfect control on her chakra. Due to this, Tsunade wanted Miki to be her legacy just as Naruto was Sandaime's and she asked her parents to let her train the girl starting at the age of four. Miki's training schedule was the whole day of weekdays. And with her help, the girl's power which was controling plants had awakened so during weekends, the she spend her time in the garden practicing. If it weren't for Sasuke and Naruto insisting that she could only practice outside, the mansion would have been a jungle by now.

So engrossed was Naruto watching Miki at the same time playing with Kisho that he didn't realize he was being watched.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The 6-year-old Akemi looked at the gardens from one of the baclconies in the house and smiled as descriptive words came into his mind. If Yuuzuki was childishess, mischief and responsibleness and his otousan was calmness, arrogance and aristocracy, his dear chichiue was strength and kindness; wildness and gentleness. He was definitely a walking contradiction, a beauty in and out itself. No matter how many books and scrolls he read and no matter how vast his vocabulary was, he could never find the perfect word to describe his chichiue.

He had always adored his blond father as far as he could remember and it bothered him a lot that he had a lot of competitors for his attention. His competitors were the villagers, his chichiue's friends, his subodinates and his siblings. But his greatest rival was none other than his otousan who he assumed know a lot of things –things about his chichiue that nobody but his father knew and somewhere deep within him he hated him. But he had to maintain the peaceful ties between them if only so he could gather some secret information about his chichiue.

He turned to his left when he felt a presence joining him. He nodded stiffly, realizing that it was his otousan – his ultimate rival.

"I don't understand why chichiue could give birth," Akemi commented. The matter had been confusing the moment he learned about the reproductive system of the human body at the academy. He had tried to research his chichiue's condition but ended up empty-handed. He even asked his happy-go-lucky brother who just dismissed the topic as trifling before continuing on feeding himself with sweets. Stupid older brother. Couldn't he see that the matter was very important to him?

Sasuke looked surprised, "Does it bother you?"

The boy shook his head, "I think it is amazing but I still don't know why."

"Because he is special," the older man answered simply. He expected Akemi to ask him to expound such statement but all the latter did was look at the blonde who was giggling together with Miki before he nodded his head in agreement.

"I know. That's why, I'm gonna marry someone like him."

"He's one of a kind, Akemi," Sasuke stated with a smirk.

A smirking Akemi looked at his otousan, his eyes glinting in a silent challenge, "Then I'm gonna marry him."

Such announcement surprised Sasuke who didn't know how to deal with it because he never heard Yuuzuki saying such words before.

"Hn."

Akemi stood up and arrogantly pointed at his father, "From now on, this is a battle." He then left, leaving Sasuke half-wondering whether he should take things seriously.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The next morning, Naruto looked stunned to see Akemi with his spiky hairstyle instead of the one he had taken from Sasuke. Worse, the boy ignored Sasuke's presence and started eating his dinner in his usual quiet self. Naruto silently asked his husband who answered quietly 'growing up'. Such reply confused him and when he asked Sasuke to explain, the latter just shook his head. It was his way of silently asking Naruto to let him take care of it because he now knew what Akemi was feeling. He knew because he was suffering from it also at the tender age of four. He was stupid to have not realized that Akemi's behavior was quite similar to his except that Akemi's was worse than his. But it was understandable because Akemi's Oedipus complex had been made extreme by his insecurities and jealousy towards his siblings. But Sasuke knew such complex would fade as one gets older but still he needed to talk with Akemi before the young boy would come into some weird conclusions.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When his classes was over, Akemi immediately made his way to Yamanaka's flower shop and asked Ino to make him a lovely bouquet.

"Who's the lucky girl?" Ino inquired as she gave Akemi his change. The boy gave him an are-you-stupid?-look before he replied, "It's for chichiue." And the woman could only stare at Akemi who was quickly leaving from her place.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto looked over his shoulder and called his spouse who was heading towards the refrigerator.

"I can't decide if the taste is balance," he said, coating his pointer finger with the sauce he was making and suck on it. After tasting the sauce over and over again for the past few minutes, he could no longer differentiate the current taste from earlier.

"What taste?" Sasuke asked as he stood slightly behind the blonde who immediately offered his sauce-coated pointer finger to him. Without further ado, Sasuke took the offered limb but instead of just tasting the sauce, he was doing some more. He was sucking on Naruto's finger, letting his tongue moved against in a circular motion causing Naruto to immediately tug his finger away.

"P- pervert!" he stammered trying to fight down the blush on his cheeks.

"What? I was doing what you wanted me to do before you distracted me."

"So how is it? Do I need to add a bit more sugar?"

"I can't decide," was Sasuke's reply.

Sighing in exasperation, Naruto dipped his finger again and was about to insert it into his mouth when Sasuke's beat him to it. The dark-haired ninja once more sucked the limb while his black eyes held blue ones captive.

Naruto could feel heat rushing not only to his face but everywhere in his body. Those sexy eyes just made him feel hotter. He snatched his finger and replaced it with his seeking lips. He moaned as Sasuke pressed him against the sink, with its edge slightly digging against his butt. He deepened the kiss giving as much as he was taking.

When they heard the front door slam, the two immediately pulled away.

"The sauce's taste is perfect," Sasuke whispered before he moved towards the refrigerator and in reply Naruto just chuckle and that was how Akemi found them in the kitchen.

_Beautiful_, Akemi thought as he saw his chichiue smiling. He had never seen that smile before and the way those eyes twinkle was different, almost hypnotizing. He felt like he had just intruded a forbidden place.

"Welcome home, Akemi," Naruto greeted.

"I'm home," he said and offered the bouquet to him. Naruto smiled but not the one Akemi wanted. He wanted his chichiue to smile just like few seconds ago. He wanted-

"Ne, who do you love more? Otousan or me?"

Such question stunned Naruto who could only let out a silent 'eh?'.

"Chichiue?"

"I love you and your otousan all the same," he replied seriously. But it only made Akemi mad. "How could you? He's my enemy!"he said before he stormed off from the kitchen and out from the house. Naruto was about to go after his difficult child when Sasuke stopped him.

"Let me," he said.

"You better bring him home before dinner, okay?" Naruto called out as Sasuke made his way towards the door. He then sighed. Akemi was more difficult to handle than Yuuzuki and he wondered if along the way he and Sasuke had made a mistake in bringing him up. He didn't like the fact that his child was giving tantrums and he decided he'd talk with Akemi later in the night. He didn't want any of his children to be spoiled.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Hot angry tears were still falling from Akemi's eyes when Sasuke found him along the lake inside the Uchiha compound.

"Go away," Akemi hissed.

"Chichiue and I disapproved your tantrums, Akemi," he said then realized that the boy was too angry to listen to such matter. He had to settle the matter that was too important to the boy first before reprimanding him about his actions. He turned Akemi around and held his shoulder to prevent him from going back to his earlier position.

"Look at me, Akemi," Sasuke said in a voice that brooked no disobedience. Akemi obeyed because he felt threatened every time he heard that voice. "You are the proof of our love and that's why chichiue will always love you more than me." Blue eyes widened at this statement. "But if you marry him, then I'll be heartbroken. And if he sees me like that, he'll be sad and lonely too. Do you want him to be like that?"

Akemi shook his head furiously. Getting his chichiue sad and lonely was a big no-no to him. He'd feel bad if that happens.

"Then let him stay with me, okay?"

Akemi pouted as if making the greatest decision in his life and in a way he was. But he knew there were some things that belonged to his otousan only, like his chichiue's smile back in the kitchen. He could see that his chichiue was happy… too happy.

After a few moments, he nodded his head slowly as if he was not so sure of his decision. He wiped his eyes dry before he was almost glared at Sasuke when he said, "Hurt him and I'll take him away from you. Promise?"

Mentally, Sasuke sighed in exasperation. "Yes, I promise." And just to prove he was serious, he stuck his hand out, more than willing to shake on their promise. But his boy decided to imitate one of the scenes of the books he read. "Blood compact."

"What?"

"Let us seal our promise with blood."

"Akemi," this time he couldn't keep the exasperation on his voice.

"Please, otousan."

Sasuke started weighing things. If he refused, god knows how long they would stay outside and if he dragged Akemi back it would only caused more trouble. Sighing, he took his kunai, made a small cut on their hands then shook their blood-smeared hands together.

A satisfied Akemi walked side by side with Sasuke. "You stll have to apologize for your tantrum awhile ago. Chichiue wasn't please with it" When he saw that the boy was pouting and giving him a puppy look, he shook his head. "No, Akemi. You must always face the consequences of your actions."

**TBC**

* * *

Uh... I can't think of what to say after I wrote those in html format. My mind seemed to shut down automatically just like my PC. Yes, Akemi is just suffering from a severe Oedipus complex. For more info about the complex, just search the net. But in Akemi's case, he wasn't scared of being castrated by his father because he was too busy maintaining peace between Sasuke for the sake of information gathering. LOL. This was stupid but hey, I can't help it. 

Next chapter summary: The family name Uchiha evoke fear within the enemies and reverence from the villagers but unfortunately...

PS: In the next chapter there is a one year skip so by then a 12-year-old Yuuzuki is now an ANBU member.


	35. 強くなりたい

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OC and unbeta-read **

**Standard disclaimer applies **

**Author's notes: Sorry for the wait and I almost couldn't update today because PC's condition turned for the worse. The possibility of me not being able to update any fics until the PC is fixed has reached to 90 percent. I hope you guys will understand and be patient about it. To all anonymous reviewers, thank you. As previously mentioned, there is a one-year time skip between the previous chapter and this. **

* * *

**Chapter 35: I want to be strong**

**Uchiha**

The name Uchiha was always associated to the powerful sharingan and that alone could send shivers in anyone. But it wasn't the sharingan that made people respect and fear them but also intelligence, prodigious talents and sharp skills that came with the name. In view of this, nobody found the guts to bully anyone who carried the blood of the Uchiha.

Unfortunately, to five school bullies who were two years older than Akemi, the boy was none of the things that made Uchiha scary. He was like any ordinary geek who spent his whole time with his nose buried in any boring books and scrolls. In their free time, they would find him sitting in the corner of the room like a weak prey. So was it their fault when they finally decided to gang up on him on some alley after school hours?

The sudden punch that Akemi received made his head buzz in pain and his eyes watery. The academy didn't warn him of this kind of pain and the pain described in the action stories he read was different. Way too different.

"He's going to cry for his mom!" one of the kids exclaimed dramatically making his four friends laugh. "But wait! He didn't have any mother."

"All he has are two fathers and one of them is trying to play as his mother," another one snickered.

If there was one thing that was unforgivable to Akemi, it was insulting his family especially his chichiue. Screaming bloody murder, he pushed the offender and straddled him. And even though his eyes were bleeding red with one tomoe on each, it didn't faze them. Why should they? He was the Uchiha who did nothing but bury himself with books. He pulled his fist and punched the guy hard.

"You're right. I don't have a mother, but chichiue is better than any of yours. He's the best and I have two great ninjas I could train with."

The guy underneath him smirked. "Your punch was too weak, geek," he sneered and threw Akemi to the ground. "You're the weakest Uchiha. You are pathetic."

Chanting those words over and over again, they started kicking Akemi who was trying to fight back with all his might but he was nothing compared to the five bullies. It didn't take long before he lay down on the ground, drawing his knees up in a fetal position as his whole body screaming in pain. But even then, his Uchiha pride wouldn't allow him to shed tears or make sounds of pain or beg them to stop.

The leader of the gang continued laughing as he kicked Akemi. It wasn't enough. He could never get enough. He wanted the weak boy to scream in pain. He readied himself for another strong kick, his right leg pulled backwards. But before he could land the attack, he found himself thrown across to the wall together with his other friends.

Standing in front of them, protecting Akemi was none other than Yuuzuki – the youngest ANBU captain since Itachi, who had just appeared in a silent 'poof' between them and his younger brother.

They gulped as they saw Yuuzuki's sharingan, the three tomoes spinning wildly and when he talked his voice was colder than ice.

"Lovely," he said sarcastically, "you just ganged up on my brother." He took one daunting step towards them, "You should know who you are messing up with."

Before Yuuzuki could do or say something more, the five bullies left in a very impressive speed, leaving only a trail of dust. Still frowning but his sharingan already deactivated, he hunkered down.

"Akemi?"

"Why do you have to fight my fight?" he asked, annoyed because he knew those bullies had another reason to see him as a weakling.

"It wasn't a fight, Akemi," he replied and he immediately carried his half-conscious brother.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Are you sure you are doing this right, Miki?" Naruto asked almost in doubt as the chakra on her pointer finger became as thin as a needle but sharper than a kunai. It wasn't always that a parent volunteered to be his child's practice subject for her weekend assignment.

"Tsunade-sama said that this is a perfect size for doing on-field medical operation. It's quick and painless. If you feel pain when I insert this, then I did something wrong."

"Didn't the old hag teach you how to reassure your patient?" he teased.

"She said I should knock our patients out with punches. Two months from now, I'll be learning how to punch like her," she added excitedly, making Naruto shiver in fear. He always hated that brute strength from Tsunade and now his daughter would be like Sakura and Shizune. God forbid.

At the other part of the living, Kisho squealed as he ran after his otousan whom he failed to catch once more. Yes, both of them were playing tag with Sasuke briskly walking away from his son. He couldn't help but chuckle when another squeal came from the boy. But the four of them stopped when they heard Yuuzuki enter with a battered Akemi in his arms.

"Oh!" Miki clapped her hands in delight, "I have a new subject."

Yuuzuki frowned, "This is not a good time to joke, Mi-chan."

"I'm not. Tsunade-sama told me how to handle cases like his."

"What happened?" Naruto asked worriedly as he started wiping dirt and blood from Akemi's face.

"He's being bullied. I just got there in time for the situation to go worst," he said but inside, he felt that the situation could never go worst because it already was. He didn't get there in time. If he did, Akemi wouldn't be hurt.

"How many were they?" Sasuke asked while thinking of different punishment. He was angry that somebody dared to hurt his child and a part of his ego was wounded because until now, nobody attack or bully an Uchiha other than the Uchiha themselves.

"Five but I'm going to deal with them. I know them," he said. Or rather, he knew their parents. He was friends with their parents and he might as well talk with them or talk with those bullies personally. Either way, he'd make sure they would never dare to go near his brother.

**-Sasunaru is love- **

When Akemi woke up, he found himself in his room and he was glad that no one was there because he didn't want to see or talk to anyone after the beating and taunting he received.

He disliked the fact that Yuuzuki had save him because he knew it made him weaker in the eyes of those boys. However, every time he remembered how his brother appeared in a swirl of threadlike flame; threw those boys in one single arm movement and how he stood in front of him like a warrior, there was only one word he could describe him: cool.

His brother was just so cool and then scary when he started talking in that dangerous voice. He never thought that the friendly Yuuzuki could be that ominous. But how could he knew when he never spent much time with him? In fact he avoided his brother not because he hated him but because his brother always ended up annoying him or they ended up arguing. Personality-wise they were not compatible.

Yuuzuki was very friendly and charming. He liked to try anything new and he liked stuffing himself with sweets in every opportunity he could get. He also liked to be around people; he liked to talk with them; laughed with them and do anything that deals with people. So it wasn't a surprise when Yuuzuki could remember all the villagers' faces together with their names or when more than half of the village called him 'Yuu-chan' or invite him for meals or refreshment. Yuuzuki was easy-going and cheerful and there was no denying that his presence alone could liven up a gathering more.

Although Akemi looked like his older brother, he was totally different. He was a taciturn and he preferred books over the company of other people. He like reading books of different genre than dealing with people. He read too much that he was like a walking encyclopedia. In school, he was good in theories and orals; lessons, homework and written exams were too easy to the point of boredom but the same thing couldn't be said with his hands-on. Where he excelled within classroom he barely passed in the field because he had no interest in training.

But at that moment, he swore he would be strong as his brother and when he does, nobody would bully him anymore. He would surely make those bullies pay. With revenge on his mind, he fell into slumber once more.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Early morning, Naruto stepped into Akemi's room after knocking and found the boy getting ready.

"Good morning, chichiue," the boy greeted as he put on his shirt.

"Good morning, too" the blonde replied as he seated himself on the edge of the bed. "How are you? Do your wounds still hurt?"

"No. I feel good," Akemi said, looking at his father through the mirror he was now standing in front.

"You're up early. Where are you going?"

The boy looked at him, briefly hesitating whether he should tell his father about his path towards revenge. "I'm off to seek power!" he said.

That statement was like a cold and hard slap against Naruto's face. He looked surprised as images of a 12-year-old Sasuke abandoning him for power came to taunt him.

"Akemi…" he trailed off as he realized that the boy had already left. He stood up to go after him then he stopped himself at the doorway. He told himself he was just jumping to conclusion. Surely, his child didn't mean it the way he thought he meant it. Besides, Orochimaru was dead and he was more than certain there was no other man as wicked and as powerful as the snake-bastard. There was no man who would dementedly offer Akemi power. Akemi wasn't the 12-year-old Sasuke.

And as he tried to comfort himself, flashes of the Konoha traitor danced across his mind, driving him to none-too-gently thumped his forehead against the wall.

"Chichiue?" Miki's soft voice broke through his worries and with his forehead leaning against the wall, he looked at her. "Are you okay?" she asked while Kisho moved towards him only to touch the wall as far his height would allow. "Poor wall," he commented, more concerned on the object than with his chichiue's forehead. Naruto looked slightly miffed while Miki choked back her laughter.

"Miki, shouldn't you be eating your breakfast now?" Sasuke called from the hallway.

"Yes, I'm going to," she replied and dashed to their dining room.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked, noticing the worried look on his wife's face.

"Ne, Sasuke, Orochimaru is dead right?" Naruto asked almost in a hushed tone. The other man frowned as he picked their son up from the ground. "Why the sudden question?" "He's dead right? And he won't be offering power to anyone even to Akemi."

Fear was already flickering in those blue eyes and Sasuke looked at those orbs deeply as if trying to vanquish what troubled his blonde. He understood the apprehension Naruto felt but he was also certain Akemi wasn't as foolish as he was once.

"Yes, he is dead," he assured. "No one is going to abandon you for power… again." The blonde seemed to calm down and Sasuke handed Kisho over to Naruto. And as he watched the two of them walking towards the dining room, Sasuke decided he had to talk with Akemi when he returns. The boy should understand the different between power and strength before he would make a mistake.

**- SasuNaru is love - **

A soft sound broke the silence that hung over the training ground of the Uchiha compound as Yuuzuki landed on the ground perfectly. The boy smiled victoriously as he found kunais embedded at the center of each target marks. He already had a perfect kunai-throwing skill but he wanted to reach the state where his best friend, Hisayuki, was. But the big problem was that Hisayuki had the byakugan to see through things so hitting targets was very easy for him and he was also fast. That was the only difference in their skills, their bloodline limit.

"Aniki," Yuuzuki heard through the adrenaline receding from him and whipped around to find his younger brother. He gaped. Was the image concocted by his already tired eyes? If it was, it wasn't surprising at all considering that he had been activating his sharingan for almost two hours now.

"Help me train," the image continued and determination seemed to flare in those normally emotionless eyes. At that request, Yuuzuki immediately declared himself to be hallucinating. How many times did he invite Akemi to train with him? How many times did he offer to help his younger brother to train? Countless and all those times he was turned down coldly or wordlessly. He deactivated his sharingan and rubbed his eyes but even then the image didn't disappear.

"Are you real?" he blurted out which made the younger boy looked at him owlishly.

"I want to be as strong as you," Akemi admitted. He watched as his older brother frowned. He expected his brother to refuse after all he had turned down all his offers and invitations in the past so what Yuuzuki said wasn't what he was expecting.

"You can't be like me, Akemi," he said. "To be so is like setting a limit of your potential."

"What do you mean?"

"Why be like me when you can be stronger than me?" Yuuzuki asked as he started gathering his kunais. All along, his gut told him that Akemi had the potential to be stronger; to be better than him so when he saw the latter pouring his attention to books and never bothering to develop his skills or showing efforts to make his potential into a reality, he thought everything was a waste. It was one of the reasons why he called him a fool.

"Really?" A doubtful voice.

The older boy looked over his shoulder and nodded. "But you need to show the same determination, commitment and passion you show to your books."

His younger brother nodded and he smiled approvingly.

"C'mon, let's see how bad you are on field," he said and the word 'bad' didn't escape from Akemi who frowned but instead of retorting he mentally readied himself for whatever training his brother could come up for him. He wished whatever it was, it won't be a brother-torture in disguise.

_I'll help you gain strength but it's up to you how you'll use it._

**-Sasunaru is love-**

Sasuke stepped into Akemi's after being permitted by his son who was now on his bed, ready to sleep. You're going to sleep?" he asked, surprised. He remembered Akemi's routine to know that at that moment the boy should be giving one of his books his undivided attention and not lying down on his bed motionlessly and with his eyes closed.

Akemi nodded - a movement that made his muscles screamed in weary. His morning training with his brother had been mild almost playful but the afternoon one wasn't. It was hell and strenuous. The training was to improve his endurance and after the training Yuuzuki told him it wasn't even the beginning yet. He wondered how he could gain strength by having his body beaten to exhaustion. Wasn't there any short cut to power?

"Why do you want power?" he asked straightforwardly.

"I want revenge," Akemi replied with hatred lacing his voice. He could never forgive those boys.

"But power and strength is not the same. Power doesn't mean one is strong. Strength, on the other hand, could give you a power you never know you had."

Akemi looked at him in bewilderment and Sasuke told himself it was too early for the boy to understand the difference between power and strength much less know it. Hell, he only understood that when he was around the age of 16.

"Do you want revenge so much?"

"Of course," the boy answered and as an afterthought added, "Is it bad?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Sasuke replied "It depends but revenge would only give you a moment of exhilaration and then when it's gone, there's just a dull emptiness."

"Why?" This time Akemi opened his eyes to observe his otousan. There was just something from his voice that made him more attentive. Perhaps it was the severity of the way his father was speaking. It was like he was speaking from an experience.

"For different reasons but in your case, you'd only be dragging yourself to their level."

"But they said I'm the weakest Uchiha."

"But beating them up isn't the best way to prove you aren't. Be the best you can be and protect your important persons."

Silence settled between them as Sasuke let the words sunk into Akemi's.

"Ne, Akemi," he said in secretive voice, "I'll let you in on a secret shared by the best ninjas in Konoha."

"What?" an interested Akemi whispered back.

"True power lies in protecting the people you love."

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke let his hand glide through Akemi's eyes, "You'll understand it someday." And before he left, he tucked his child while bidding each other a good night.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Akemi looked surprised when he found Yuuzuki waiting for him by the gates of the academy.

"I thought you're going to be late for our training," Akemi said as the two started walking down towards their residence.

"Well, the mission turned out easier than we expected," he said. "And since your classes was about to end, I decided to wait for you so we could go home together."

Unfortunately, Akemi was no longer listening to him because his attention was diverted to something or to be more exact to someone else. Yuuzuki followed his gaze and saw Akemi's bullies. He saw his younger brother clenching his fist, saw his eyes tainted with red and noticed his body was tensed. But just as quickly, he relaxed and continued walking, making Yuuzuki smile.

"You better get yourself ready for some serious training, little brother," he said before he started enumerating all kinds of things the two would do before dinner. He failed to see the stunned look on Akemi's face when the younger one realized his brother didn't use the word 'foolish' and he wondered what caused that.

_I won't stoop to your level. I'll seek a long-lasting honor in my own untainted way._

**TBC**

* * *

This time I am too tired to think of any after notes. 

Chapter summary: In a mission, as his enemy moves towards him with kunai aimed at his heart, Yuuzuki realizes that despite what people thought of him, he is weak. He wants to become stronger but realizes it is too late because he is going to die and this time nobody can save him.


	36. 俺は弱い。。。

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**Disclaimer applies **

**Sorry to keep you guys waiting. Anyway, I'm doing my best not to break any English grammar rules but it's quite impossible so please understand. If I did commit any error, I'd be more than happy to receive corrections. **

**By the way, flashbacks, like thoughts, are italized. I didn't use "flashback" and "end of flasback" for a reason. I know you guys can differentiate thoughts from flashbacks anyway but still watch out. -winks- **

* * *

**Chapter 36: On his own**

Yuuzuki glided towards Akemi's room, quietly and lightly like an apparition. Even in the dark that enveloped the hallway and the room, he didn't need his sharingan eyes to guide him towards his brother's bed. He knew his way like the back of his hand. When he reached his destination, he took in the sleeping form of his foolish brother then smirked. His brother hadn't changed which made it easier for him. In a split of second, a kunai glinted in the soft moonlight that flooded through the window as the weapon hovered above the younger boy. And like a flash of lightning, it sliced through the air, deadly and accurate as it moved towards its sole target – Akemi's heart.

Yuuzuki snorted as his weapon pierced the bed which had now become unoccupied. His smirked grew wider as he felt his brother's presence behind him. He raised his right arm to block the incoming punch. Unfortunately, he didn't realize the kunai coming from his left until it was too late, driving him to move away. He moved so fast that in an ordinary person's eyes, he disappeared.

"Impressive," he said as he stood by the window, his gaze meeting his brother's. "But you should move faster," he continued and nodded meaningfully to the rip of his shirt collar.

"This is my fave shirt," Akemi hissed in displeasure.

"More reason for you to move faster."

The younger boy sat on the edge of his bed silently studying his older brother who leaned against the wall. "What are you doing here at this time of the day?"

"To train you, of course," was the melodious reply.

"But you have a mission, stupid."

Yuuzuki grinned, "Yes, three hours from now."

Akemi looked at his bedside clock and grumbled, "It's still 2:30 am."

"Yes, I know."

Must his aniki be so insufferably calm? No idiots would train as early as 2:30 for pete's sake unless… This time it was Akemi who smirked. "You're just excited over the mission arrangement to sleep for few more hours."

He knew he guessed right if the older boy's sheepish grin was any indication. "That's why I decided to supervise your training like any day."

**-SasauNaru is love-**

Nervousness and excitement.

These were the emotions that bubbled within Yuuzuki's team. But such feelings were common among ninjas when paired with the best and most successful ANBU group – Sasuke's team - another reason why the youngest ANBU captain felt pressured to perform well. Although his otousan had commended him for his accomplishments and listened to his short but precise account of his battles during his mission, this would be the first time his parent would see him operate as well as the first time their groups would be collaborating together in a rescue and kill mission.

The people whom they were ordered to annihilate were those who kidnapped a group made up of two jounins and two chuunins. They knew the purpose of the abduction – information gathering. Unfortunately to the kidnappers, these ninjas had been under Ibiki for three years and had annually requested to receive simulations of this kind of situation and who was more qualified to come up with simulations than Ibiki himself? There was no man alive on earth who was crueler than Ibiki and no torture more effective than his. They were certain their comrades won't divulge any information but that didn't mean they could dilly-dally this mission. Each second counted because they knew that a man who remained silent even during torture was as good as a corpse.

Regretfully, what welcomed them were the grotesque corpses of the people they should rescue. Yuuzuki crouched and touched the pool of blood. "It's still warm," he announced through the heavy silence that hang in the air as they realized that they came too late. "From the way they were killed, it's obvious those assholes were pissed off," Ken commented.

Being the leader of the group, Sasuke coolly ordered to no one in particular, "Dispose their body properly. The rest will pursue the enemies. I'm sure they aren't far from here yet."

The rescue mission was a failure but the annihilation was another story. They would complete the second part of the order as a revenge for their fallen comrades. However, they need not pursue as burning arrows rained down on them. As expected from ANBU members, their reflex were fast and their movements as smooth as silk as they deflected their arrows in their own way. They were now engaged in a fight against some notorious rogue ninjas who survived in the wilderness. Weapons against weapons coming in contact, producing 'clank' sounds in the process; ninjutsu versus ninjutsu, each technique bursting with chakra and taijutsu against taijutsu, solid thuds as limbs came in contact with so much force.

For all the skills, power and intelligence Yuuzuki had, he still lack something -lots of experiences, the major deciding factor in the battlefield. Compared to others, what number of experience he had was little. So it wasn't a surprise when the boy found himself driven in a corner surrounded by his opponents. He effortlessly curbed his panic and watched in anticipation with his sharingan eyes for their attack.

They moved and Yuuzuki's muscles tensed, ready to block every attack while delivering his own. Like a bolt of lightning, it hit him as he felt the ground beneath him rumbling - the real attack was going to be from below. He jumped a second earlier before hands emerged from the ground. Airborne, the boy watched in relief while his hands moved quickly for his signature attack- the dance of the flame fox. He could feel the rush of his chakra -hot and powerful like real fire. Just one more seal and everything would be over, at least for his opponents.

Instinct and sharp intuition made him looked up and his red eyes widened in surprise as he saw a toad-faced enemy poised in an attack falling towards him.

_How the hell…?_

He wasn't able to finish his question as the answer immediately popped in his mind.

Chakra concealment.

And the man did it so well only the most experienced and observant ninja cod detect him and unfortunately, Yuuzuki wasn't in that level yet and certainly he couldn't be because he was going to die right there and then. With his body frozen and his mind already shutting down, he watched like a distant observer as everything around him moved in slow motion.

As his enemy closed in, his body braces for the impact with the sword and for the pain that comes with it while his memory of when he was rescued by his parents from his kidnappers flashed through him, mockingly. But he knew this time nobody's going to rescue him - his otousan and rest of the group had their hands full and were quite far from him and his chicihue was behind the hokage desk but he didn't mind. He had embraced his death, having no other way and he wasn't going to be bitter about it. His experience had taught him the weak always perish against the strong. He was weak. That was his last thought before all he felt and saw was the blood flowing freely like waterfall.

_I am weak._

**-Sasunaru is love-**

Before Yuuzuki's team separated from Sasuke's after they returned home early next morning, the dark-haired captain placed his hand on the younger captain and said, "Don't mind what happened earlier."

And thanks to his mask, his father didn't notice the frown that marred his face. How could he not mind? But instead of saying what he wanted to say, he settled with 'thank you' because at that moment they weren't father and son but senpai and kouhai.

"Thank you for your hard work," they all greeted each other before Yuuzuki's team, as demanded by senpai/kouhai hierarchy convention, left for the mission building to deliver the report. The young captain found the task a delaying tactic from going home. He was running away, he knew that but it was better that way. He didn't want to face his parents especially his chichiue.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When they stepped out from the building, Yuuzuki was more than convinced that his subordinates were once more seeing him incapable and 10 years too early for the captainship, if their silence was any indication. He had grown used to their teasing which were mostly made up of their age difference and now there was none.

The boy almost jumped when he felt a hand landing on his head heavily. He looked up to see Kazue. "Yuu-chama, we were planning to take you to a bar." he said and his close friend, Tomo added, "Of course for your age, you can only drink juice but no worries we'll make sure you can drink all you can! Then you can have any sweets you want."

Taiyou rolled his eyes at his comrades' poor attempt of cheering the boy up but honestly, this would be their first time to cheer their usually cheerful captain up and they found themselves lost because up until now, they had never seen him down even when they had mocked him of his position.

The three thought that having a female for a captain was the worst thing that could happen to them but their opinion changed when a mere 12-year-old was assigned to lead them. To them, having a boy for a leader was like foolishly marching towards their death. They disliked him because, despite having heard the boy's potential and strength, they couldn't accept yet that they had to follow someone who was more or less 10 years younger than them.

They called him 'captain' out of mockery rather than respect. Their obedience was nothing less and nothing more from what was required from them. They speak to him when necessary and in monotone manner but despite all of that, Yuuzuki smiled through it all and doubled his efforts to befriend them. It wasn't until the boy almost sacrificed his life to save them that they realized how shallow they were. They finally realized why he was promoted to the captainship. It wasn't only because of his bloodline limit, intelligence and potential but also because of his compassion, determination and commitment.

Since then their teamwork had improved and a friendship was established among them. They had stopped calling him 'captain' except during official meetings as they opted to call him Yuu-chama with a 'chama' a mixture of 'sama' to show their deference and 'chan' to show their fondness.

Taiyou moved closer to Yuuzuki and crouched in front of him. "Yuu-chama, we think that you did great. You had put up with those guys better than any ninjas I know so don't be to hard on yourself."

Yuuzuki wanted to smile but all he could manage was a grimace because his friends didn't understand the crime that he almost committed.

"I'll see you later, guys," he said and left his subordinates who felt helpless and useless.

On his way to Hokage Mountain, he was spotted by his uncle Sai.

"Welcome home, Yuu. Would you like to have breakfast with me and talk about your latest mission?" Sai said almost in a sing-song. He always looked forward to spending time with Yuuzuki.

"Perhaps next time," was the only thing he said before he disappeared in a 'poof'. Sai's genuine smile melted into his usual fake one. He stared at the sky and squinted at the bright soft light of the morning sun. "And I thought it's sunny day today," he muttered.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yuuzuki sat on the grassy slope of the mountain. For a moment, he watched as the grass bend towards the direction where the wind was blowing before he let himself relived his near brush with death…

_As his enemy closed in, his body braces for the impact with the sword and for the pain that comes with it while his memory of when he was rescued by his parents from his kidnappers flashed through him, mockingly. But he knew this time nobody's going to rescue him - his otousan and rest of the group had their hands full and were quite far from him and his chicihue was behind the hokage desk but he didn't mind. He had embraced his death having no other way and he wasn't going to be bitter about it. His experience had taught him the weak always perish against the strong. He was weak. That was his last thought before all he felt and saw was the blood flowing freely like waterfall. _

_I am weak. _

_He wondered why no pain came when there was so much blood before he felt strong arms clutching him, protectively. "Get your act together," a firm voice told him filling the hollow silence within him. He looked up and met his otousan's blood-red eyes. _

_They landed on a tree branch and as the boy let his gaze swept their surrounding immediately. He saw the ninjas who surrounded him few seconds ago dispersed but on the ground where they used to stand was the body of his would-be killer if his father didn't intervene. The body was separated from his head by few meters. _

"_Get a hold of yourself!" he heard his father commanded before he left to deal with their remaining foes. He looked at the blood on his shoulder and knew it was still fresh. It wasn't the blood of his attacker but of his father. He was wounded because of him and Yuuzuki hated himself for that... _

Yuuzuki sighed as the self-loathing he had felt at that time was still present. He believed it wouldn't go away as long as he remembered that his otousan almost got killed something that would make his chichiue cry. He couldn't fathom the depth and strength of their love but this he was certain: the death of one of them would be the demise of the other. Such was their dependence. Such was their unity and he of his weakness almost destroyed that. Worse, he had almost broken the vow he had made since the time he realized his powers- protect his important persons.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When his schedule wasn't hectic just like today, Naruto would savor his time doing household chores all by himself instead of using clones. It was times like this that he felt more like an ordinary wife doing ordinary things.

After cleaning the house, Naruto proceeded in hanging laundry outside to dry. He paused for a moment to stretch his arms skyward and yawned. He felt so sleepy because a hyperactive Kisho had kept him awake until wee hours. At that moment, a part of him wished he could join Kisho who was still sleeping but that wish evaporated into thin air as he saw Sasuke walking towards their house.

"Hey, bastard! Welcome home," he greeted cheerfully. But his smile turned into a frown as he noticed his blood-tainted clothes. In fact his nose could pick-up the dull scent of dried blood.

Sasuke gave him a tired smile before he entered the house. Already in his automatic mode, Sasuke stripped his clothes and took a bath. He let the warm water loosen his muscles at the same wash away the exhaustion claiming him at that moment. As he stood beneath the shower, welcoming the water prickling him gently he let himself be brought back to the happening hours ago.

_Sword against sword and kunia against kunai... _

_There were almost equal. Almost. But Sasuke knew he was better. In a whirl of leaves and sword, he defeated his enemy. But he wasn't allowed to take a breather as he was rained w/ kunai carrying explosives. He leapt upward perfectly and gracefully missing the explosion impact and the tear-inducing smoke. He twisted around to parry an attack and it was at that moment that he saw something that made his blood turn cold and adrenaline bursting like the explosion earlier. He ignored his adversary who looked surprised then insulted at Sasuke's rudeness. _

_Sasuke did a shortcut – interrupting other fights between the other ninjas, never paying attention of the cuts he received on his way. In a desperate move, he threw his body in the air and like the devil himself, he appeared behind Yuuzuki's attacker and with one quick arm swing he beheaded the man. His movement was so strong that he didn't feel the resistance of his flesh or the hardness of his neck bone. It was like he was slicing a jelly - soft. _

_Effortlessly, Sasuke grabbed Yuuzuki and brought him to safety. "Get a hold of yourself!" he ordered before he left to deal with the ninjas moving towards them. Sasuke met them halfway, clashing against them giving the other ANBU captain to gather his composure. Not paying to the sharp pain of the wounds on his chest, he landed on another branch. Unfortunately, his left foot slipped as he stepped on the slippery sap gathering on the bough thereby losing his balance and grazing his left leg against its jagged surface. The blunder took just a second but his opponent used it well. The man lurched forward, his kunai on his left hand poised to plunge into Sasuke's throat while the other for his heart. The dark-haired ANBU captain twisted his body in time saving his vital organs and then flinched as he felt the pain of his new wounds. _

"_Asshole," he hissed before he sent the man to Hell quickly. _

When Sasuke stepped out from the bathroom, he saw Naruto sitting on their bed with a first-aid kit beside him. He stood in front of his wife, silently observing him.

Naruto let his gaze swept over Sasuke's chest and the moment he saw his deep wounds, he felt guilty. "Is Yuuzuki alright?" he asked quietly.

"He's not injured just like the others."

"That's good," the blonde commented. "Was the mission successful?"

Sasuke looked away, afraid that his eyes would show the answer that he didn't want to say. He didn't want to answer because he knew Naruto's reactions all too well and he couldn't bear to watch it.

Watching his spouse's lack of expression and the silence coming from him, Naruto knew of the outcome and another wave of guilt swept him. He looked at the face he loved and saw that it was marred with few cuts.

"Sasuke, I'm-" he trailed off as Sasuke brought his face closer to the blonde's. "I don't need it," he whispered with finality. When his wife opened his mouth to speak once more, the ANBU captain crushed their lips, swallowing the apology.

_I don't want to hear it because I don't need it._

Naruto could no longer apologize nor speak as his mouth was being assaulted. When Sasuke switched to his neck, it was only then that he managed to suck his breath before he demanded for more – something which his partner was more than happy to oblige.

They needed this blissful contact, Naruto to assure that his love was alive while Sasuke needed it as it was the best way to comfort his dobe. The need that gripped Naruto; the lust that settled like a boulder within his stomach and the desire that wrapped around him like satin ribbon drove him to slam his lips against Sasuke's at the same pulling his head down so his tongue could drove and touched deeper.

Sasuke found himself beneath Naruto as the latter switched their position, effortlessly. He stared at those blue eyes that said, let me. In reply, he dragged the blonde's clothes as his cool fingers brushed against heated flawless skin. The blonde let out a breathless groan before he returned the favor. Where his eager hands wandered, his demanding mouth followed, pressing wet and hot kisses which left his spouse quivering and moaning softly. He let his tongue roamed on his skin, tasting Sasuke and desire. He moaned and his eyes were half-closed as long fingers teased his manhood, expertly. Their needy gazes met and Naruto cocked his head seductively before he grabbed a bottle of lube.

Sasuke couldn't help but hissed as the cool gel came in contact with his weeping erection. Bright rainbow colors danced at the edges of his view as he felt the lube losing its coolness under his wife's skilled ministrations. Urgently, he lifted Naruto's hips and steadied and supported him as his dobe lowered himself. In bliss, he moaned as he felt the tight ring of muscles slowly enveloping him, pulling him deeper at the same time welcoming his sweet intrusion. He was completely surrounded and it felt heavenly and exhilarating.

A deep groan ripped through the blonde as he felt pain and pleasure pulsating in him as his husband slipped into him, filling and completing him in a way their kisses always failed to do. There was a moment of stillness before Naruto started moving and Sasuke let him ride at his own pace. The eye contact that they established the moment their bodies became intimately connected was never broken even when toe-curling pleasure started to build within them. And each movement of Sasuke's hand on Naruto's erection and of their hips slapped them towards frenzy delirium.

"Sasuke..." Naruto murmured breathlessly between pants.

"I know," the dark-haired man breathed, his grip on the blonde's waist tightened as their rhythm became desperate and feverish, totally spinning out of control. All that mattered to them was each other's completion- that fleeting but powerful moment of mind-numbing ecstasy when the whole world around them had fallen silent and had turned pristine white as they reached the center of everything that was and will be.

With a deep guttural moan, Sasuke found his rapture. It was so intense that his eyes shut themselves involuntary. Few seconds later, Naruto followed, tumbling over the edge, falling gracefully.

Sasuke opened his heavy eyes and through pleasure-hazy vision the erotic scene- Naruto's body in a perfect arc, his head thrown back, his sweat-drenched face upturned in sweet release and his mouth open in silent scream, in front of him flooded his whole system with desire, awakening his spent body. The illogical hunger that swirled around him drove him to thrust into that moist and hot cavern, deeply amd powerfully. Within a minute, he came again. He caught Naruto as the latter slumped forward. And for a minute or two there were just gasps as they gently plummeted back to the ashes of their passion.

Naruto softly traced the wounds on Sasuke's chest. He disliked it when his subordinates get injured; hated it when they die and loathed it when his important persons get hurt because to him the casualties were his fault and proof of his failure as the commander-in-chief, friend, father and husband. Although most of the time, it wasn't him who came up with the mission's battle plans, he was always the one who selected the strategy from all the submitted ones so it was still his responsibility. His cross.

When Sasuke became aware of his surroundings, the first thing he felt was something soft pressed against his chest. He opened his eyes, looked down and saw his wife gently kissing each of his wounds and scars. He frowned when he spotted the tears gathering on the edges of those devastating blue eyes. He cupped his dobe's face.

"There're things that are beyond your control and this is one of them. Besides my wounds, although deep, aren't critical," he said fiercely, wanting the blond to understand. "But one day, your wounds would be and..." he trailed off not wanting to mention of his spouse's fall. He feared that a day would come when he'd just be like the wives or lovers of the fallen ANBU members- receiving Sasuke's porcelain mask together with the heartbreaking news of his love's demise from the ninja who took the task of disposing his corpse.

Looking at those cerulean pools, Sasuke continued, "As long as our children expect my return, I'll come home. As long as you need me, I'll continue to cheat death. I promise."

Naruto let out a derisive snort as he childishly wiped his unshed tears with his right hand. "Bastard, you can't do that," he said but his eyes were beginning to glow with happiness once more because somehow he believed in Sasuke's promise.

"Watch me," his spouse replied so seriously that it made him chuckle. "Thanks," he murmured before he kissed Sasuke, lightly. "Now, it's high time for me to tend to your wounds," he announced as he moved away from his husband.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"The day is too great to spend it in sulking," a familiar voice said before he could hear footsteps approaching him. He looked at his chichiue who childishly and naturally flopped himself on the grass.

"I have a reason to sulk," he muttered, avoiding his father's soft gaze. He expected to be scolded. He deserved it as a son who endangered his daddy and as a subordinate for his naïveté. But here was his chichiue looking serene and offering him a box of white chocolate.

"Otousan did the right thing," Naruto said as he stared at the horizons.

Such statement made the boy frown. Even with his intelligence, Yuuzuki couldn't understand why risking one's life was right. In there profession, to protect teammates in a tight situation was called for. It was an obligation. Always an obligation but not the right thing. He shook his head in disagreement.

"No," he said. "He almost got killed because of me."

"There are things that are worth drying for."

"Won't you care if otousan dies?" the boy almost snapped in confusion.

"Of course I would but you are also important to us. I would have done the same."

Looking away again, Yuuzuki sighed. He leaned his forehead against his brought-up knees and mumbled, "To be saved like that… I'm weak."

His confession almost came out as a choke. It was so hard to say that especially from someone like Yuuzuki who performed so well in school and in battlefield and completed all of his missions. His accomplishments made him think that although he wasn't perfect, all the things he did were until that incident happened. Naruto was proud of his boy's courage to admit such things humbly albeit shamefully.

"Even ninjas as strong as otousan needed to be saved in and out of battlefield," the blonde commented, remembering those times when he had saved his husband. "Also," he added, his arm wrapping around the boy's shoulders for comfort, "nobody is weak. We are born with infinite strength but it is our task to awaken such strength and tap from it as we continue on our journey." His fingers tipped Yuuzuki's head back so their gazes would meet. "Otousan saved you not only because you're his kouhai but because you're his son. You shouldn't be ashamed of that."

"I' m not," the boy replied, "but I am ashamed of myself for being this weak."

"You're fourteen," his chichiue said, intentionally committing a mistake on his son's age.

"Twelve!" Yuuzuki corrected with annoyance lacing his voice.

The older man grinned, "See? You still have a long way to go." He tousled the boy's hair before he stood up to go to his office where tons of troublesome paperwork awaited him.

"Chichiue!" Yuuzuki called out, never bothering to look over his shoulder. "I'll get stronger."

"We believe you," was the blonde's reply before he tossed the box of chocolate to his child's direction. Yuuzuki's hand gracefully shot out in the air and smoothly caught the thrown item. He looked at the box of sweets and smiled. He would continue protecting his loved ones with his strength and power.

_I'll get stronger than yesterday and today_, he vowed to himself silently and he knew he would because he had the power to believe in himself once more.

**TBC**

* * *

This is all I could come up. I know this is the longest chapter in this story and all because I don't know where to cut the chapter. I hope its lenght didn't give you a headache or made your eyes ache.

Kouhai means junior and senpai means senior.


	37. 闇へ

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read **

**standard disclaimer applies **

**Sorry for the wait. **

* * *

**Chapter 37: Total solar eclipse**

There was one holiday more meaningful than that of Kyuubi's defeat- that of the founding of Konoha. It had become a tradition for few ninjas to send the villagers' hopes prayers and wishes written in origami paper and folded into paper boats to send them floating along the river at the Valley of the End. And the elders who took the celebration as their responsibility had chosen rookie nine and Gai's team to be those ninjas. While the men carried bags containing the paper boats and Naruto carrying the strung thousand paper cranes which believed to grant wishes, the women took the bouquets of expensive flowers arranged by Yamanaka women as well as the little baskets of petals.

"Don't forget that you have a speech delivery three hours from now, "one of the elders said.

"I'll be back before that," the Rokudaime promised with a smile.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It had been years since the Sasuke-retrieval team had traveled together on the path where they had bravely fought against enemies who were way above their level.

Chouji felt the same strength and confidence that flowed through him when his best friend told him he believed in him before they left him to continue their chase. As his gaze fell on the trunk on where his friends carved short messages and arrows, he felt the same joy when he realized that his comrades and friends hadn't abandoned him.

Neji smirked as images of the battle flashed before him. He had been desperate at that time. Not because he wanted to save the foolish Uchiha but because he wanted to help Naruto and at the same time proved to everyone who believed in his capabilities that he was truly a genius.

Kiba and Akamaru shared a look as they speed past the place where Kiba had returned to save his pal despite the explosive tags that surrounded the place.

Shikamaru snorted as he remembered the troublesome risk he took and the relief of being save although he wasn't so please to learn that his savior was a very bossy and dangerous woman. They passed by the now calcium-rich soil, thanks to Kimimaro's bones and Lee's belief that his and Gaara's overwhelming flare of youthful ferocity was the deciding factor of their victory still remained firm. He smiled as they danced around the bones that were still decomposing.

Unknown to anyone, Sasuke felt slivers of shame because he knew what his male friends were thinking.

As they reached the Valley of End which had witness the furious battle between friends, their pain and tears. Sasuke's nerves tingled at the memory of the raw and barely controlled power Naruto had shown. Naruto, on the other hand felt the phantom pain on his chest where the chidori had pierced him and the throbbing of his heart of being abandoned by a dear friend.

Hinata and Tenten effortlessly climbed the mountain and poured the basket of multi-colored petals letting it cascade below together with water. The rest were now standing on the river surface. They placed the string of cranes first, followed by the paper boats and finally the bouquets. When it was done, Sasuke made hand seals before he breathed a pillar of fire which surged upward. Reaching its peak, the flame burst into slivers of light which went to different direction, lighting up the still dim five o'clock morning sky - signaling the villagers who cheered at the sight, that they could now start the planned morning activities.

"You better snap your blonde from wherever he is," Kiba commented as they reached Sasuke. The brunette looked down and saw his wife spacing out.

"We couldn't reach him," Lee commented sadly. Sasuke nodded and leaped down.

"Usuratonkachi!" Sasuke called out in a firm voice that cut through the haze that enveloped his wife. Still partly imprisoned by heart-breaking memory, Naruto looked over his shoulder and stared at his opponent, his friend, his rival and his love. He half-expected to hear from Sasuke angry accusations about the village holding him down and his quest for power. But all the brunette did was offer his hand to him while saying affectionately, "c'mm dobe, let's go home. They're waiting for us."

His words were like the sweetest honey he ever tasted and Naruto emerged from that painful past and stumbled into reality- Sasuke waiting for him to take his hand. Instead of doing that, Naruto strode towards his spouse and kissed him soundlessly.

From above their friends look at them with relief. "Such a troublesome pair," commented Shikamaru.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

With "friendly commerce and trade" as the theme of the expensive celebration, standard-issued stalls had lined up along the streets and even though the night had already fallen, the place had become livelier as people, now dressed in yukata, strolled around. Under the star-sprinkled and clear evening sky, the soft voices and chuckles of couples and lovers alike were drown out into buzzes as the voices of excited children grew louder.

Miki watched as the flickering fire lanterns hanging from the stalls and different establishments cast dancing shadows on the walls and grounds as she waited almost impatiently to join her friends.

"You can do anything you like," her otousan said in an authoritative voice, "but we expect you to join us in watching the firework display by the riverside so we'll see you at around 8, okay?"

She and her two brothers nodded and they were more than happy when their father dismissed them silently.

"It's just the three of us now, Kisho" he heard his wife said to their youngest child who nodded in agreement. "Then let's have fun!"

He rolled his eyes at his childish display but nevertheless he followed them as they weaved their way through the crowd.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Owlishly, Kisho looked at his parents who had been in the shooting booth for almost fifteen minutes now, trying to outdo each other. Somehow, their bickering seemed to amuse the boy but what was funnier was the man behind the booth who was too scared to ask them to leave and all he could do was wistfully eyed their prizes which were now lining up the small table.

Naruto smirked at his husband as he hit all the targets for five consecutive times. "It seemed your charms are no use to my awesome concentration!" he commented as Sasuke failed to distract him once more.

"That's just beginner's luck," he replied, "Watch the genius in action." But before he could pull a trigger, a hand shot blocking his view. Assuming, it was another attempt of making him lose his focus, he was about to bark at him. But his colorful words disappeared into thin air as his gaze met emerald ones burning with irritation.

"Will you two stop being so childish?" their friend asked, no, demanded. "You're cleaning out the poor man with his prizes."

"Don't be too hard on them," Lee said gently. "Competition is a beautiful expression of youthful passion." "Not now," Sakura almost snapped causing her husband to stand attentively and gave a salute, "Yes, Ma'am" before he went on to pay all his attention to Kisho.

"Kisho, which do you like the most?" she asked and when the boy pointed the Arashi plushie, she gave it to him. "Mister, you can take back the rest," she said.

The man looked at the hokage for his agreement which came only after the pink-haired kunoichi glared at him.

"Sure, you can have them back," he said sheepishly. "Sorry about earlier."

The man shook head profusely, "It was an honor to have Naruto-sama in my booth."

The blonde was about to reply when a blur zoomed past them and latched on the unsuspecting little boy. Ino squealed, completely on her fangirl mode. "You have gotten more sinfully charming each day!"

"Loosen your hold will you, Ino?" Chouji said between munching. "The kid is suffocating." The bleach-blond woman gave the youngest Uchiha one tight hug before she let him go. "Uzumaki and Uchiha blood make drool-worthy children, ne Chouji?"

Before he could respond she had already turned her attention on the Uchiha couple. The two instinctively took a step back as they saw the crazed determination gleaming on her eyes. "I think it's time to talk about marriage between our children."

"Dream on, Ino-pig!" Sakura snorted. Within a second, their faces were almost pressed as they heatedly argue as to whose child was more compatible with the young Uchihas. Their husbands shared a long suffering look but never made an attempt to interrupt their wives, knowing all too well the consequence of such action.

"And Sakura called us childish," Sasuke muttered.

Getting bored, Kisho's obsidian eyes landed on someone that made him smile. He met her halfway and with his small hands clasped behind his back, he said melodiously, "good evening, Temari-bachan."

Temari pat his head gently, "good evening too." Casting a meaningful glance to the bickering kunoichi, she continued, "They're at it again, eh?"

"Oi! Temari, where's Shika?"

"He's already at the riverside together with Shino and his wife saving a place for us. Neji and his wife are helping his cousin in preparing our dinner."

"Although she volunteered, it must be hard to prepare for more than thirty persons," Chouji commented.

"But we offered our help but she had declined," Lee added.

"Ne, can we buy something to eat?" Kisho asked while pulling Naruto's right hand.

"Why don't we try that okonomiyaki stand that's two blocks away from here? It's very popular," Chouji suggested. His friends decided to follow his recommendation and started walking, leaving the other two kunoichi.

"Be careful, it's hot," Sasuke warned as he handed to Kisho his okonomiyaki. His son nodded and took a small bite. A second later, he was fanning his mouth with both hands while jumping up and down. By doing so, his favorite rubber ball fell and rolled somewhere. "I'll be back," he said as he thrust his food to his otousan's hands to go after his toy. Unfortunately, the ball stopped between the front paws of a sleeping stray dog.

The animal let out an irritated snort then opened his eyes when he felt a presence. He snarled. He had enough dealings with children who always made fun of him and the child in front of him was no different. But his opinion changed when he felt the almost malevolent power from him. He whimpered and with his tail between its hind legs, he ran away.

Kisho looked at the retreating animal. "What happened to you, mister dog?" As he picked the ball, his gaze landed on a retreating cat. "Here, kitty kitty." But the cat had also sensed what the dog had and without a doubt jump over the fence. Kisho looked behind him but there was nothing or no one behind him. For few seconds he wondered what was wrong but when he couldn't find an explanation, he childishly dismissed it and returned to his companions.

When they reached the riverside, almost everybody was there.

"Are you ready for your speech, Naruto?" Shino asked without looking away from the shougi board.

"I already did give my speech this morning."

Everybody looked at him in surprise. "Didn't Konohamaru tell you about tonight's speech delivery?" The blonde returned their stare with his own. After a while, his left hand rubbed his nape, "he did mention about some speech but I thought-"

There was a collective sigh. "With my years as hokage, an impromptu speech is a cinch."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

In his impromptu speech, unlike the one he delivered that morning, he talked about hardships before talking about friendship and teamwork. But there were only few who listened to his words because the others were too entranced with the way how his golden hair glowed brighter than the yellow lights that flooded him; with how he articulate his words with smooth hand movements and how his lips curled in a sheepish grin and briefest smile. Standing together with their children, Sasuke felt a sliver of irritation as he observed his dobe's natural charm working twice its magic on the masses.

However, Naruto was oblivious to it all because half of mind was on the awesome firework display that would soon follow and on the moment their family portrait would be taken.

Somehow, his heartfelt speech showed that he was the epitome of peace, strength and courage and that so far he was Konoha's strongest pillar. As he was about to end his very short message, he choked and became immobile. The villagers stared at him, expecting his next words or actions to be surprising. And it was because suddenly and with his robe flapping around him quietly, he fell backward as if in slow motion. As if planned. When he reached the ground with a 'thud', a stifling silence settled over them. It was as if a slight movement or a small sound was a taboo.

Like a water drop that caused ripples on still waters, the blood-curling scream of one of the elders destroyed their stupor and mayhem ensued. People who saw their hokage convulsing either prayed or murmured their opinions causing others to strain their necks and pressed forward.

Chuunins restrained the masses while jounins guarded the village elders. They needed not to ask to know somebody had hit the rokudaime. It was an assassination attempt and from the look of things it was a success.

Without any orders, all ANBU guards left to search the gutsy assassin. They had let their guard down and because of that they would become the laughing stock of the other villages. Konoha's ANBU members were the best among all the ninjas and yet they failed to protect the leader they had sworn to protect. It was a joke and it was on them.

Sai took out his paper and pen and drew three huge hawks. The three then surged towards the sky with while giving a long piercing cry then they disappeared in blood-red smoke-a signal of emergency four zero. Chuunin gate guards were replaced by the best jounins and nobody was allowed to leave the village without any written approval of the hokage or the head of the Root. Experienced chuunin would start making rounds in their assigned area with the power to arrest anyone suspicious.

Within a few second, all of them except the Uchiha's received Sai's orders- get to the assassin first before the Uchihas or if the Uchihas caught him first, restrain them from killing the criminal at all means.

The leader of the Root as well general of the ANBU knew only few would try to heed his command and in fact, he wasn't one of them. But for formalities' sake he gave the orders.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki wanted to join the medics that surrounded his father. She was about to kneel beside him when she got a glimpse of his state. Froth was trickling from his half-opened mouth, his eyes were red and bulging as if unseen strong hands pried them open and worse, his veins were swelling to visibility and they were red-violet.

"No," she choked out, her hands reaching out. But before she could touch her father, she was pulled back. She looked up and saw Shino's wife holding a bawling and scared Kisho. She grasped the woman's hand that was still holding her arm. "Junko-bachan, tell me," she pleaded because her medical knowledge told her otherwise. "Tell me he's not gonna die!"

Junko looked at the girl tearfully asking for words of assurance but she couldn't give one because she didn't want to give her false hope. "Let's us hope for the best," she said before she enveloped the Uchiha siblings in a warm hug. Comfort, that was the only thing she could give at that moment.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shizune gently pulled the poisonous needle which was as thin as thread. She thought it was only half inch but when she pulled it, she found out it was three inches. She dropped the object in a transparent plastic held by Tsunade.

"Take this to the hospital laboratory," she told Temari. "And inform all medical staff of emergency red-one." The younger blonde kunoichi nodded and left.

"He's now having muscle cramps," exclaimed Sakura.

"Labored breathing too," Hinata added. Tsunade looked at Naruto.

"What's taking them so long?" Shizune muttered referring to the two medic-nin Tsunade had asked a while ago to get generic antidote before they'd move Naruto to the hospice.

Tsunade kept quiet because she knew that in critical situations like this a second could mean an eternity. No longer wanting to wait without doing anything, Tsunade decided to take a gamble. "Let's hope Kyuubi can help."

It was only Hinata who understood her words. "Should I completely shut down his chakra system?" she asked.

"No, keep his chakra to a trickle. I'm sure Kyuubi will come out by then."

The Hyuuga heiress nodded and did as told. They waited but saw no traces of Kyuubi.

"It seemed the poison is affecting Kyuubi as well," the blond medic-nin said in defeat.

"Naruto?" Kyuubi called out, her voice echoing in the distant. She was suffocating. There was something in the air that was heavy and stifling. She could sense a strange darkness creeping towards her. She tried to reach out the beam of light that was above her but the shadows suddenly moved fast and engulfed her.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

After two hours of searching, the ANBU members came empty-handed and Sai gathered all squad captains for a meeting. While his uncles had their killing aura restrained or concealed, Yuuzuki's was flowing from him like angry waves. Sasuke, on the other hand was the epitome of calmness. His face was schooled to his usual arrogant expression and there was not even a trickle of murderous aura detected from him. But everybody knew that such calmness precedes a storm. A raging deadly storm.

"The gate guards didn't see or feel anyone going out," Neji informed stiffly.

"So it could be anybody in the village," Shino stated matter-of-factly.

"I received word from the hospital that they would turn over the murder weapon to us after their own investigation," Sai said. "I already had assigned a squad for the crime investigation."

"Did you receive word about Naruto's condition?" Kiba asked.

Their general shook his head. "They're being silent about it." The atmosphere became more tensed. "Anyway, we need to have an organized investigation. I divided the village into sections," he continued.

Yuuzuki looked at the map. "I'll take section D," he said. It was the area where Akemi was waiting for him. The two had promised to each other that they'd search for the asshole together. Without giving a chance for anyone to protest, he disappeared in a poof and everybody their overlooked his rudeness.

Sai assigned each section to each squad except Sasuke's.

"You seemed to forget about my squad," Sasuke said in a voiced lace with irritation. "/I assigned your subordinates to riot suppression squad because you're going to the hospital," a smiling Sai replied coolly.

"No." The Uchiha didn't want to go to the hospice because he knew once he step inside, he'd be falling into oblivion head first and he wasn't ready for that. He couldn't find the courage to hear and accept any bad news. He wanted even if it was for just few hours to delay his madness. "No," he repeated with finality.

"Naruto expects you to be there so leave the search to us," Shikamaru said before another trouble would erupt between two men. The others voiced out their agreement making Sasuke realized that they wanted to go to where his blonde was and know his condition but medical protocol demanded that only a patient's immediate family, if existing, should be notified. Having no choice, he nodded and watched everybody leave the room. Alone, he laid his forehead against the table, trying to steel himself for the things that would come; for the things he knew he should accept.

When he stepped out, Lee was waiting for him. "Sakura wants to talk with you. She's waiting at Tsunade-sama's office." Sasuke nodded. "Junko-san asked me to inform you she's taking Miki and Kisho to her house."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Tsunade looked at the elders rebelliously. "I'm too old to be reinstated as hokage. Why can't you assign a ruling committee like what you did when Naruto was hospitalized because of Kyuubi?

"Because this is a different case. This is worse especially when villagers saw their leader assassinated. It has caused unrest and uprisings won't be far," the oldest elder explained.

"There's no time for an amateur hokage. Besides none of us has predicted this. We expected him to rule longer so we haven't entertained the idea of picking candidates for the next hokage," another elder commented sadly. Tsunade sighed and grabbed the hokage hat.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke took a seat in front of his former teammate. He tried to search her neutral and professional expression that might give him any indication but found none.

"The weapon is a three-inch needle coated with a strong and fast-reacting poison found in perennial plants growing in mountainous areas," Sakura explained, her emerald eyes boring into the man's. "The best antidote is found in few oasis. We already sent a letter to Gaara ahead of the team we sent."

Sasuke nodded but it was obvious to him Sakura was putting off that moment when she had to discuss about Naruto and he didn't know whether to be irritated or to be grateful. "What about my dobe?" he finally asked almost in a whisper.

The kunoichi's expression faltered and she looked away. "The poison had entered his bloodstream. We only managed to filter ten percent of it. The large dosage of generic antidote we injected in him every twenty minutes only slow downs the effect," her voice was now breaking. "There's a big possibility that he's going to die even though we are doing our best!" This time she couldn't stop the tears cascading her cheeks. She was crying for the desperation that gripped her, for the helplessness that bubbled within her and for the unfairness of the situation. She buried her face in her hands. It was so unfair! Why did it have to be like this?

Sasuke leaned his head against the chair and closed his eyes, willing for things he couldn't accept at that moment to go away. He opened his eyes when he heard a tray being placed in front of him.

"We had to take off his necklace and his wedding ring," Sakura explained. Without letting the medic-nin say anything further, the brunette took the objects and placed them on his pocket above his chest.

Few minutes later, Sakura led him to the ICU where Naruto was confined. Sasuke entered the room alone. His knees buckled as his gaze landed on his dearest person. His hair had lost its luster, the skin beneath his eyes were reddish, his lips was dry and purple, and his skin was deathly pale, a contrast against the visible web of his red-violet veins. He looked so thin, so small against the machines that surrounded him. Sasuke took a seat and held one limp hand between his. For a long time, he just looked at his blond, hoping he won't slip away from his hold.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Zan stifled his sleepy yawn as he handed another document to his lord. It was late yet he knew he must work overtime for the next day's three conference meetings. Noticing the elegant eagle that landed on one of the window ledge, he took the bird inside and untied the scroll from one of his legs.

"Gaara-sama, a scroll from Konoha," he said as he placed the letter on the table.

Gaara opened it and scanned the contents. Zan shivered at the sudden burst of anger coming from the redhead.

"Cancel tomorrow's meetings," he ordered.

"You can't..." he trailed off as he was glared at. "What should I tell them?"

The slamming of the door was Gaara's answer and he sighed. He definitely needed some aspirin before he should start coming up with excuses.

Kankuro pasted himself against the wall as his brother stormed past him, grains of sand floating around the redhead.

"Kankuro, we're leaving for Konoha."

"Did that lazy genius drop Temari?" he asked half-jokingly as he followed his brother. He always thought those two weren't compatible so he expected that sooner or later they'd file for divorce. It seemed they did and now they were heading for Konoha to demand the blood of that lazy man.

"Naruto was assassinated-"

Kankuro almost stumbled as he heard it. "Who's the asshole who did that?"

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The result of the ANBU investigation was out. The murderer was a former ninja who was called a phantom. He had been one of the best in his generation but he had resigned at the age of twenty-six when his wife by arranged marriage eloped with the man she loved. Since that time, everything went downhill as he found comfort in alcoholic drinks. Nobody knew the motive of the attack but an ANBU squad had been sent to his house where he had been spotted last.

Neji's squad became the darkness as they reached their criminal's residence. The Hyuuga genius activated his byakugan to check for any trap as well as confirmed his presence. He only saw little chakra systems he associated with house pests. But still he signaled his men to storm inside and search for anything that would them a clue of his motivation.

Neji opened what he supposed to be bedroom and the sight that greeted him made him almost cringed. Their criminal had hung himself and his now purple tongue was sticking out.

"Captain," his vice-captain uttered almost hesitantly. The brunette looked at her. "Every documents and books had been burned. We couldn't find anything but this."

The brunette unfold what she thought was a suicide note. As he read the message, his whole muscles tensed in anger. The man wasn't motivated by some ill-feelings toward the Rokudaime, which was a relief. All he wanted was to plunge the whole village to what he had been feeling- despair by taking down its pillar. At the end of the letter he expressed his hope that his death would be enough to pay for the life he took.

_The arrogance of the asshole_, Neji thought. He had been famous for his control of his emotions especially anger and hatred but such restraint was gone and he punched the nearest wall, leaving a gaping hole.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sakura smiled as the antidote began to take its effect on her friend. She gently brushed few locks from his forehead, "It will be fine from here on, Naruto."

Gaara looked at the pink-haired kunoichi as she stepped outside. "He's looking pretty good," she informed the redhead who nodded. "Thanks, Gaara."

The kazekage noticed the tears of relief at the edges of her eyes and wished he could feel the same relief but his senses as someone who killed to prove his existence told him the blonde wasn't off the hook yet. He could smell death and he smell its heavy presence within his blond friend's room. "Don't let your guard down. I'm with Tsunade-sama so if anything happens…" With that said, he left for the meeting.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Like everyone else, Akemi and Yuuzuki wasn't pleased to hear the death of the criminal or to hear the motivation behind the assassination attempt. But at least the search was over and they were now heading to the hospital together with their two siblings to visit their chichiue.

Yuuzuki, who was carrying Kisho turned to the last corner then stopped as he saw medic-nins filing out from his chichiue's room. He broke into a run, his heart leaping with cold fear, just in time to see Shizune turning off all the machines.

"Shizuneechan...?" Yuuzuki trailed off, afraid to ask what he feared the most.

"I'm sorry,Yuuzuki-kun," the brunette medic-nin said as she shook her head.

The boy just nodded blankly. Kisho wriggled from his brother's arms and approached his father's bed. Mistaking the reason of disconnecting the colorful cords from his chichiue, he said "Niichan, chichiue would wake up soon, ne?" He seated himself beside Naruto so he could greet the latter the moment he'd wake up. The little blonde's hand accidentally brushed against his father's skin and noticed it was getting a little bit cold. Immediately, he righted the blankets just like what his blond father did every night. "You'll be warm now, chichiue," he muttered.

With a sob, Shizune fled from the heart-breaking scene and almost collided with Miki who was about to enter the room.

"Niisan?" Miki asked Yuuzuki who was silently crying.

"He's dead," he replied between sobs.

The news brokenly delivered was so heavy for her. She found her view getting blurry before everything turned brilliantly white and she was floating like a feather.

Akemi caught the unconscious Miki and together they sunk to the floor. His hot tears gently fell on his sister's sad face. "No way" he said as sobs rocked his lithe frame, "this can't be happening."

"What's wrong?" a confused Kisho inquired as he gently settled his head on his father's chest. He waited to hear his chichiue's heartbeat then bolted in a seating position when he heard none. "Niichan," he called out quietly. Beads of cold sweat broke out from his suddenly pale skin. Yuuzuki gripped his shoulders and gazed into his eyes.

"He's gone but otousan, Miki, Akemi and I are still with you…" Whatever comforting and reassuring words that came out from his lips, there were drowned out by Kisho's ear-piercing wail. In his state of denial, the youngest Uchiha unconsciously let out a wave of strong chakra causing the electricity within the building fluctuate. Yuuzuki's arms wrapped around his small body to calm him down and somehow the pain being shared made things a bit bearable.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Carrying a bouquet of white roses – one of Naruto's favorite, Sasuke walked along the hallway that would lead him to his dobe. Following his heart's request, he tuned out the whispers and murmurs from everyone there and ignored the looks being thrown at him. He was blocking everything that suggested something bad had happened to Naruto.

He opened the door and saw his children. Miki and Kisho were sleeping on the couch of the connecting room, Akemi was sitting on the window ledge his blue eyes focusing on somewhere distant and Yuuzuki was fixing his empty gaze on the pristine white wall. They were like shards of a glass that was once elegant and beautiful but now broken beyond repair. They were no longer crying but he could still see the traces of the tears on their faces and the unsaid news crashed against him like tsunami. His muscles loosened and the bouquet slipped from his hold and fell to the floor with some of its petals plucked out from the impact.

"Sasuke-kun?" he heard a voice said from behind him. He closed the door of the room and leaned on it.

"I'm sorry," Hinata said then continued when Sasuke remained silent. "The antidote had been few seconds late but we did our best…"

She trailed off when she noticed that the ANBU captain looked anything but sad or devastated. He was just standing there, looking at her as if everything was alright, as if he hadn't lost someone special. "Hinata, please look after my children. I'll be going somewhere," he said and left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Standing in the hospital rooftop and enveloped by darkness, Sasuke thought of nothing and everything as images of Naruto came to his mind like some favorite old movie. Memories of his sun were the only thing he had now and it wasn't enough. It could never be enough. He stared at one of the faces carved on the mountain and cupped it between his hands.

"You left me," he whispered then corrected himself bitterly, "you were taken away from me."

"Everyone is worried about you," somebody said and Sasuke didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"I'm fine," he replied automatically.

"Cut the crap, Uchiha," Gaara growled, "you just lost Naruto. If you want to cry then do so."

The brunette threw his head back and gave a hollow laughter. He let his sharingan eyes land on the redhead and noticed the latter's red eyes – one of the telltale signs that he was crying. The raccoon had cried and Sasuke found it amusing in a bitter and painful way.

"I wanted to," he whispered, "but I couldn't." Tears weren't enough to express what he was feeling right now. In addition, when he realized his loss, everything even his tears were sucked out from him. Everything about him was dry and empty.

Noticing the hollowness of that voice, Gaara realized that the man in front of him was nothing but a zombie of sadness and emptiness. What the other felt was worse that what everybody was feeling at that moment. Sasuke had lost what made him not only complete but what made him, him. Knowing he'd just be disturbing rather than being of help, he decided to leave. But before he did so, he said, "Get out from the rain, Uchiha."

Sasuke shook his head. The sky was crying in his stead and he wanted to soak himself with nature's tears for it was the only thing he could do.

_Naruto, come and save me._

**TBC**

* * *

Phew... Quite long and the topic was so delicate, I had trouble handling it. In fact, I don't think my way of handling it was enough.

I know Naruto called Shizune as Shizune-neechan but Yuuzuki found a way to shorten it. -grins-

Next chapter summary: Goodbye, Naruto.


	38. 光へ

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OC and unbeta-read**

**Standard disclaimer applies**

**Author's notes: Sorry for the wait and I can't upload html files today so I'm using .doc. I still can't find the courage to read the reviews of chapter 37 because something tells me they are all death threats and complains because I killed Naruto. If only you know -laughs- Anyway...**

**

* * *

****Chapter 38: Daybreak **

The order to move Naruto's corpse from the ICU hadn't yet been issued because the hospital director was mourning with Naruto's close friends. There were no words of praises or accolades for the blonde exchanged among them as they were too filled with grief to do so. There were just tears and sobs. Few looked at the door as Sasuke walked inside. It was so ironic and quite disturbing that the person who loved Naruto so much and whom the latter loved back beyond logic was so calm and untouchable by grief. There were no traces of tears on his cheeks and judging from his neutral expression he won't be crying anytime soon. He was like the eye of storm- composed even when everything around him was spinning violently.

Tsunade was supposed to approach the widower to tell him the elders wished to speak with him before they'd formally announced the demise of their Rokudaime but decided the matter could wait as Sasuke approached Naruto's bed.

Sasuke took his dobe's necklace from his pocket and returned it to him. He looked at Naruto's wedding ring. The symbolic object had the same deathly coldness that gripped the blonde and it seared Sasuke's palm like red hot iron. He had planned to keep the ring but when his gaze fell on the Uchiha symbol engraved inside it he realized it wasn't his to keep. Naruto owned it and had proudly worn it and would continue to do so even in death. Naruto would remain as an Uchiha, his wife. He kissed Naruto's forehead, both of his eyelids, the tip of his nose then finally his cold lips. After that, he slid the ring on his finger just as gently as he did a long time ago.

_Visit me in my dreams so I'll know you're fine now_, he pleaded silently. As he was about to let go of his dobe's left hand he felt something. He felt it again and he hoped he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. Because gods! That would hurt beyond words and logic. He felt the slight movement -a slight jerk of Naruto's pointer finger and this time it was followed with a weak groan. Just to make sure, he placed his ear against his chest and he heard his heartbeat, slow almost close to silence but it was there. Relief intensified with happiness and certainty ripped through the brunette's frame. "Welcome back, dobe," he said in a soft whisper which somehow thundered over the place.

Everybody had surrounded Naruto the moment they heard Sasuke's greeting just to see for themselves that he was indeed alive. Everybody murmured his name in a silent inquiry of his condition but all they received was the blinking of his dull eyes as he continued staring at the ceiling.

"We thought you're dead," Tenten said between tears of relief, this time.

_Dead_?

Had he been dead? He had only been floating over the peacefully silent green meadows where the scent of spring was most heavenly. He had felt light and free in those moments unlike now when his body was heavy and why couldn't he move it? Worse, why couldn't he move his jaws? What was happening to him?

Without further ado, Tsunade examined his 'brother' and came to conclusion that Naruto had a neuron paralysis but it was not something chakra couldn't cure when done currently. She examined him once more, this time her chakra was charge with electricity. It was an examination to check action potential of his body. The result was that his lower body had the highest negative value. In her opinion, Naruto would be able to speak in one weak; could move his upper body in two months and his lower body within a year. Of course a physical therapist was needed to help Naruto gain his mobility back. Considering her age, she was no longer qualified to administer the level of electricity needed to awaken Naruto's neurons to functionality. She had to leave that tiring task to Sakura and Miki.

The monotony of Naruto's staring at the ceiling disappeared when Tsunade's face filled his vision. The blond woman was about to explain to his condition but he decided he didn't want to know. He tried to express with his eyes what he couldn't with words.

_I trust you guys so do your thing and I'll do mine._

Tsunade smiled because she understood what he was saying silently.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

As predicted, Naruto was able to talk again within a week and he could now move his upper body little by little. Although he had been told that things would be painfully difficult, everything had been going so well that he was beginning to get impatient. As days go by, he hated every moment he spent sitting on his prison- his wheelchair. All his frustrations, impatience and desperation began to simmer to surface and also muddle his perception. He mistook everybody's sympathy as pity and concern as doubt or ridicule. He was no longer looking forward with his friends' visit and when they asked him if he was okay, he would smile positively and seconds later, he'd go to his room, silently seething in his growing hatred.

During his rest day, Tsunade had insisted he needed a rest he kept himself in his room. He caught a glimpse of himself on the full-length mirror across the room and his face crunched in disgust. He hated his body since it had been rendered useless, trapping his wild and carefree self and preventing him from having fun with his kids. Loathing his reflection, he grabbed the closest thing- a thick medical book next to him and with both hands hurled it towards the mirror, ignoring the pain that shot through his arms and shoulders. He let out a string of colorful words as he watched the book landing halfway. He was so weak and pathetic he couldn't even throw properly. Before he could try again, there was a knock on the door.

"I brought you dinner," Akemi announced as he carried a tray inside.

Another thing that Naruto hated aside from being given a bath and being helped when he answered nature's call was eating. He could feed himself but because his arm movements were rough and jerky, eating would take a long time and he usually dropped the food making a big mess. In the end, he had to accept the offer of being fed like a baby and he loathed that with alarming intensity.

"I'm not hungry," he said apologetically.

"You will be because it's ramen."

"Didn't you hear me? "I'm not hungry." The boy cringed at that angry tone and apologized immediately before he left.

Naruto took a deep breath swallowing the tears and pushing back the things that he didn't want to admit.

**_Kit? If you continue this you'll end up hurting everybody. I know you're hurt and bitter-_**

**_They don't understand me and my suffering._**

_**They...**_

Naruto had tuned out the rest of Kyuubi's words. When he focused his attention back to the world, he saw Kisho sitting in front of him. He watched as the boy approached his chair.

Kisho laid his small hand against his father's chest, "Chichiue is hurting here," he said without preamble. He looked at those sad blue eyes and continued, "Why do you lie?"

In reply the older blonde covered his hand with his, replying, "it's easier that way."

Kisho's obsidian eyes were full of questions at the same time marred with confusion. He couldn't understand why lying made things easier. As far as he knew, telling lies always stirred trouble and hurt everybody. "But you're hurting because of those."

Naruto wished he could be a child once more so the world would be wonderful, wide, carefree and more importantly simple.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When everybody thought that he was taking his afternoon nap, Naruto managed to sneak outside and go to the farthest corner of the Uchiha garden with every intention of trying to walk. Tsunade and his head PT had informed him that although his lower body's action potential values had increased, they still needed to reach a particular value for him to start his lower body mobility exercise. They told him it would take a week or two for that to happen but he couldn't wait any longer. He had to move his lower body **now**.

Ignoring the dull ache in his arms, he dragged his feet to the grass-covered ground. After that, he planted his hands on each arm rest and slowly and painfully tried to stand up by placing all his weight on his still weak arms.

On his fifth try, his left arm gave way against the weight, upsetting Naruto's weak balance as well as that of the chair.

"Dammit," he murmured as he landed on the ground hard. He closed his eyes trying to ignore the raging pain. When it started receding, he slowly pushed himself to a sitting position. It took him quiet a long time to get the chair back to its standing position and longer to sit himself but he had managed.

On his nth attempt, his arms finally gave up on him and the blonde found himself falling forward. This time the pain was overwhelming and Naruto decided not to move for a long time. He just stayed on the ground, almost falling to the oblivion brought by pain. Nobody was there to help him up… nobody was there and that fact seemed to echo in every corner of his soul.

An hour later, he was back on his chair ready to try again. Even when his body was screaming in exhaustion and pain, he didn't want to give up now because to do so was like giving up forever.

He was about to try again when a pair of hands pushed him back to his chair. He whipped his head to the left and met Sasuke's eyes darkened with fear. The captain had been on his way after training at the Uchiha's private grounds when he had glimpsed on the dobe doing a reckless deed. The cold horror that gripped him had intensified when he saw the grass stains and soil dirt blotting his pristine clothes. He wondered how long the blonde had been pushing himself. Didn't Tsunade made it specifically clear to him about his physical condition and his rehab schedule?

Sighing mentally he took out the extra towel he hadn't used to wipe Naruto's face clean but the blonde immediately looked away, refusing the gentle gesture. But the brunette grabbed his chin firmly and did what he had planned. When he was done with his face he proceeded to his arms and Naruto could only watch in myriad emotions of frustration, gratitude and joy.

When Sasuke was done with his task, he looked at Naruto. Really looked at him. He plunged past his thickening defense mechanism.

As the blonde found himself under that innocent but loving gaze, he felt being sucked into fantasy he was so familiar with. That look which should have made him shiver in delight and made his whole body flushed with teasing seduction could now only make his heartbeat increased and he realized how invalid he had become. He no longer had the body Sasuke adored, craved and needed. He was just a burden to the brunette and he knew the latter hated any burdens just as he hated to be a burden to anybody. With that realization, the painful tug in his heart increased in number. Swallowing the lump of tears he steeled himself for what he was about to do – letting go.

"Sasuke, at this rate, we could no longer make love nor could I pleasure you. You have to look for someone else," he said weakly and because he had looked away, he completely missed the startled look on his husband's face.

"I didn't marry you for that," was the brunette's honest reply.

"But I couldn't cook for you guys nor clean the house," he continued. He refused to watch his children and husband doing household chores that weren't their responsibility anymore.

"Okay, I'm going to find someone else..."

Ouch. Why did that hurt a lot?

"...for a housemaid."

Naruto glared although his heart felt lighter and better, "I'm serious here, bastard. This is important!"

"I'm serious here because you're important."

Those words washed over him like gentle caress but had broke the reign of control he had with his emotions.

"Sasukeee," he almost wailed, shattering the long pregnant silence that had ensued after the brunette's reply. For the first time since his disability, he broke down and cried, pouring out all his bottled feelings.

"I'm tired. I can't take this anymore. Why do I have to suffer? Wasn't my childhood enough? I'm at my limit now. No more."

Sasuke could see the death wish flickering in those blue eyes and it scared him. He gripped the blonde's wrist too tightly. "Look at me," he commanded in an almost cold voice and the blonde did. He had to.

"Don't be like that. Bear it. Endure it for us."

And the tears falling from his eyes were like liquid fire as Naruto glared at him angrily. "Do you think my being like this is easy?"

"Of course not. Do you think it's not hard for us to be pushed away by you?" the brunette replied in angry frustration. Why did it have to come like this? "We want to help bear your burden; to make things easier but you're pushing us away."

"Because nobody understands me!" And Sasuke had never felt as lost as that moment.

Naruto clutched the brunette's ANBU jacket and pleaded tearfully, "I don't want to be jealous every time I see the others using their legs. I don't want to be restrained by this fucking chair anymore. I just want to go back to what I was before. I'm tired and sick and so alone." The last word had been whispered quietly but the other heard it well.

Sasuke wiped Naruto's tears while kneeling in front of him. "But you were never alone. I'll be with you. I'll keep you from stumbling. If I can't do that then I'll stumble together with you and we'll get back to our feet together as well." He was emphasizing 'together' wanting to make his dobe remember that they were perfect halves of their circle. A pair. A couple.

He lifted and settled the blonde on his laps. "I know you are tired so rest as long as you want." _Just don't leave me._

He pressed Naruto's head against his chest and the blonde snuggled closer finding a wonderful rest in his spouse's warmth and arms.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Miki entered his parents' bedroom, she was met with a very bright smile. It was very obvious his chichiue was in a very good mood- a very rare moment nowadays.

"Ne chichiue, I'm gonna increase the charge of the electricity I'll be forcing into you." Her father nodded.

Miki took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She directed a large part of her chakra to flow towards her hands and to gather around them. At will, she converted her gathering chakra into electricity making her hands glow slightly. With a silent signal to Naruto, she began what had become her daily task.

Her hands hovering an inch above the blonde's lower body as she slowly moved them up and down from his waist to his toes for a long period of time. For the sake of perfect muscle coordination and smooth flowing of action potential, the girl's hands would drift over the other half of his body and would stay over his head for few seconds.

Unlike his past treatment, Naruto could now feel a prickling sensation in places where his daughter's hands hovered. He could feel his muscles contracting and expanding, twitching or jerking. He also found himself getting sleepy.

Three hours later, a very exhausted Miki left the room where her chichiue was now sleeping peacefully.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

As Sasuke had told him, he had accompanied Naruto practicing during the latter's rest day. He was there to be Naruto's strength as well as a sitter to make sure his spouse wouldn't push himself recklessly.

"C'mon bastard, just one more then let's rest," Naruto almost whined between pants.

"That's the third time you said that, dobe," Sasuke replied in his usual arrogance.

"I promise we'll rest after this."

Rolling his eyes in a frustrated surrender, he nodded.

At Naruto's insistence he stopped supporting him by letting his hands go. The couple shared a smile as Naruto managed to stand steadily on his own. In his excitement, the blonde rushed his left foot forward to take a step, shifting all of his weight on his other foot. It was a bad move and he realized that as he saw the ground rising up.

Since pulling him back on his feet was a little late, Sasuke did what he could think of at that moment- he offered himself as the dobe's cushion.

The two landed on the grass together. Naruto opened his eyes and saw dark ones looking at him worriedly. "Are you okay?"

He could only swallow as the sexual tension that had been growing between them since this little practice session had began intensified due to their closeness. He gave in and his lips desperately searched for Sasuke's. The brunette looked surprise at the sudden intimate gesture but he too surrendered to the pressure building between them.

Their mouths came together as one, teeth clashing and tongues snaking out to duel, to taste and to plunder. Their kiss shifted back and forth between being rough and gentle. Neither of them could now tell who was moaning and who was pressing closer.

Their desire turned to a burning need which in turn became a consuming want. Naruto was frustrated that his body couldn't respond the way he wanted it to. He couldn't even feel his spouse's hard-on but he knew he was aroused. He could smell it.

They broke apart gasping for breath but Naruto's hands were going downward, sliding dangerously closer to its goal. He wanted Sasuke inside of him. He wanted to feel his warmth.

Sasuke grabbed his hands and held them steady. His wife looked at him to see his hunger reflected by smoldering obsidian eyes. He shook his head and forcibly made himself explain, "If we do this, it would only make us want more and that would increase our frustration." The other man understood and weakly nodded. "But I'm happy that you wanted to give me a blowjob." Then, he pushed his dobe on his back, effectively putting a distance between them as they tried to cool down.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Days turned to weeks then months and seasons came and went before Naruto found himself meters away from his children who were waiting for him. He had to cross that distance. This was his final test. He looked at Sasuke who was standing at his farther left before he took the first step towards his freedom.

He walked quickly then slowly; he skipped and hopped; and ran and jog without the discomfort, pain or difficulty but to him he was flying and gliding and it felt so good. When he reached his goal, cheers erupted from his children. Kisho threw himself to him causing both of them to land on the ground. Akemi and Miki showered him with petals while Yuuzaki playfully dump his share of petals on his father.

Naruto turned his head to the side where Sasuke was and their eyes met.

_Tonight,_ his blue eyes said as they held a promise of things as old and wonderful as the secrets of the universe.

_Yes,tonight, _he replied silently and the moment was gone.

"Shall we now take our picture?" the dark-haired ninja asked as he approached his family.

"Let's," they chorused.

Their new family portrait was different from others as it was a candid one and was taken in the Uchiha gardens. Under the shower of Sakura petals, all of them were wearing a look of triumph.

**TBC**

* * *

Action potential, according to wikipedia, isa wave of electrical charge that traveled along the membrane of the cell carrying information within and between tissues and used as a communications between neurons to other body tissues like muscles. But please don't quote me on any medical procedure or medical stuff I mentioned in my fic as my medical knowledge are close to zero and they are just something I thought up for this story. 


	39. 自分と約束

**Author's notes:** I revived Naruto not because I got scared but because his death and revival is part of some grand plan I had in mind. Also because, I wanted to see the blonde witness the growth of his children and of growing old together with Sasuke and doing kinky things in between. To all those who reviewed on chapter 37 and 38 thank you. I finally had the courage to read them. Yey!

**Explanation:** The poison that had affected Kyuubi… well… It hadn't been discovered at that time when the fox demon was in a rampage. Just like in a real world, some of the medicines we have now had not yet existing few years back, yeah?

**Explanation:** Naruto's death… I see some movies and hear stories where a person found himself somewhere never realizing that in the real world, he was already considered dead and that his heart had stopped beating. And when he became conscious again, he found his friends and relatives crying over his corpse.

**Reminder:** Yuuzuki is now 14, Akemi is 9, Miki is 8 and Kisho 4. I can hear your gasps and I know you're surprise because I barely mentioned their age. But in the end of chapter 38, I hinted it by saying about days turn to months and season came and went by.

* * *

**Chapter 39: Her Idol**

A slightly panicking Miki skidded to a full stop in front of the dining room where her siblings were enjoying their breakfast.

Akemi caught the one-inched thorn that was moving in bullet speed before it could pass him by. When he opened his hand the thorn was now turned to ashes. Smirking, he looked at her sister while wiping his hand with a wet towel. Yuuzuki frowned at the playful but quite dangerous attack. Miki ignored her two older brothers and settled her gaze on Kisho who looked sheepish as he realized that he had forgotten to do something.

"Didn't I tell you to wake me up?" she inquired, annoyance and frustration in her voice.

"Sorry, I forgot," was the innocent reply and she almost wanted to pull her hair. She wished Tsunade was easy on her as in a manner her little brother was apologizing but her teacher wasn't. As she grew older, the great medic-nin got stricter, stricter than she was with her aunt Shizune and aunt Sakura. At the age of eight, her lessons' range had widened and her training had become more demanding both mentally and physically. Thus, it wasn't a surprise that waking up early and reaching Tsunade's place on time was difficult.

"Good morning, Otousan," they greeted as Sasuke stepped inside and joined them for breakfast.

"Good morning, chichiue," Miki added as the blonde placed her breakfast in front of her. He smiled at her and nodded, knowing she was already running late.

"Miki, how many times did I tell you about-" Sasuke was rudely cut off by the Uchiha female as she said, "I'm already running really late so please scold me when I get home. Promise I'll listen."

Sasuke just stopped because he knew she would keep her promise. After all, this wasn't the first time Miki had asked her parents to hold off their reprimands until she was less busy. The brunette watched as she gulped down her breakfast, gone was her perfect and prim lady-like table manners.

"I'm done preparing your bentou. It's good for more than one person so share it with your friends," Naruto announced as he finally settled on the table. He knew that except for Kisho who would be going to the nursery school, the rest were just going to train. "Don't forget to take it with you when you leave." All of them nodded and muttered their thanks.

Miki choked on her last bite causing the older Uchiha sibling who was seated beside her to thump her back and offer her a glass of water. She gave him a grateful look and stood up.

Naruto almost dropped his soup bowl as he saw the clothes she was wearing. He gaped at her, "What are you wearing?" And suddenly, all eyes were on her

Miki stared back wondering if she had committed some fashion faux pas then, shrugged that off. She was certain there was nothing wrong with her clothes. The colors complimented each other and according to the most popular fashion magazine, it was currently in – mini skirt and blouse that has a lower than usual neckline and slightly displayed her midriff. She knew she looked good because she had checked herself in the mirror and she and her friends even asked the salesclerk attending to them before she bought it.

Naruto couldn't believe that those were the clothes his daughter and her friends were shopping two days ago. He wondered why he hadn't seen that until now and realized that it was his clone who was doing the laundry for these past few days. Anyway, the shirt revealed too much of her skin and considering the length of her skirt, with just a breeze or slight movement, her underwear would be seen. "Change your clothes," he said.

The blond girl gaped at him with surprise and disbelief. Didn't her father know how long it took for her and her friends to look for clothes that would fit her unnaturally slim body? "But I'll be late and besides I'm wearing under shorts."

The blonde shook his head and remained firm despite the appearing pout on the girl's face. He gave her a warning look. "It's your responsibility to wake up on time," he said, "and whether you wear an under shorts or not, it doesn't matter. Change or you won't leave this house until you do so."

She sent a distressed look to her brothers but found them looking at her passively. They wanted to help her but they also thought her dress was too much and also because they were aware that once their chichiue would use that tone, compliance was the only way to go. When no help came, she pleadingly gazed at the only person who stood a chance against chichiue – her otousan.

"Change your clothes," Sasuke said with finality. There was no room for any arguments, Miki realized that. Unable to do anything but obey her parents, she went to her room to change. She angrily grabbed a new set of clothes and hastily put them on at the same time trying to stop herself from crying. But the more she tried to stifle the urge the more tears fell from her eyes. She was angry at the same time felt betrayed. But why should she be? She asked herself, when from the very beginning she had been alone. From the start she had no ally in this family. She hated them… all of them.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Standing in front of Tsunade's office, Miki took a moment to erase the tearstains on her face and take big gulps of air. She thought that since she was already few minutes late for her training, a few seconds more wouldn't matter.

Words of reprimand died on Tsunade's throat as she noticed Miki's red and puffy eyes. This was her first time to see her coming to her training in such state. "Take a seat, Miki," she said cutting off the girl's apology. "What's wrong?"

She looked surprised with the inquiry but realized as her gaze landed on the head medicnin that at that moment they weren't teacher and disciple. Her heart told her that she has found an ally in the older woman. Unheedingly, she told what happened earlier between sobs and sniffs.

When it was over, Tsunade took out the pictures she had confiscated during her years as the incumbent hokage from her drawers. She didn't know she still had them until they fell from her medical references the other day. She was glad she hadn't thrown them yet at least through them, she hoped Miki would understand few important things.

Miki curiously looked at the pictures of a person who was too old to be a girl but too young to be a woman. The blond lady, yes she was a lady with blue eyes looked strangely familiar but at the state she was in, she couldn't guess who the beautiful female was. The clothes she wore displayed a lot of skin because, the female Uchiha realized, they were meant to reveal rather than to conceal; to entice rather than to discourage.

The girl blushed when few pictures had the lady nude but smoke had concealed her private parts. But to her it wasn't the clothes or lack of it that made her sexy. It was how her blue eyes twinkled in merriment and mischief; how her cherry-red lips curved in provocative smile and how she painted herself as an angel who knew the art of pleasure that would put a courtesan to shame by the innocent seductive aura she emanated. In the opinion of the aspiring medic-nin, compared to the models in the magazine she read, the lady was better in more ways than one.

"Who is she?" she asked in a voice brimming with adoration.

"That," Tsunade answered, "is your chichiue."

And the young girl's expression was precious as she stared at her teacher then back at the pictures. She couldn't believe it! Her father was definitely a male yet he could pull a stunt such as this. She could tell this was just more than a henge, her father definitely knew about the art of being sexy.

"At a very early age, Naruto created a jutsu called oiroke no jutsu then later on the harem no jutsu as pranks. But it was effective to all male ninjas regardless of their status and strength. Even Sandaime wasn't spared," she informed. "Those techniques caused me a lot of unnecessary troubles." She frowned as few came to her mind like the time when five bisexual guys found out the object of their desire was really a boy and they decided to take revenge but deciding to punish him with whip and handcuffs. In the end, Naruto sent them to the hospital while the bill of the area damaged was sent to her office to be settled immediately. Or the time when Sasuke found out that Sai had painted few portraits of scantily clad and nude female Naruto. Neither of them was sent to the hospice but the bill of property damage was so astounding that it made the Godaime's head spin in pain and anger.

"Miki, you're beautiful-"

The girl shook her head. She was just pretty, but her chichiue was beautiful.

"If you wear those kinds of clothes, the chances of you being rape or sexually harassed are high," she explained. "You said they don't understand you, well you're right. Men don't understand women and vice versa but we all understand our own kind."

The young girl looked a bit skeptical and quite confused.

"Your parents speak from their experiences. They know how men react to nose-bleed-inducing sight. They understand what desire could do to even the most reasonable guy" she continued. Of course they would because Naruto was a victim of few rape attempts by overzealous men and countless molestation and on few occasions, Sasuke was there to save the stupid blonde like the devil himself. "Your brothers, on the other, are just following their male instincts."

Miki seemed to calm down now as she was worrying if she'd never ever wear any sexy clothes when an idea struck her.

"Your parents and brothers are worried about you because you're their," at this she paused looking for a correct term, "their one and only muse."

"I could wear any clothes I want as long as I've strength and skills to defend myself," she said with her eyes bright with fierce determination. Yes, that must be the case. For her to achieve that, she should train more. Be more serious and from now on, no more waking up late.

"And if you're overpowered?" the older woman asked.

The other grinned cheekily and dreamily, "My handsome knight would come and rescue me." And then she was now in her lala land conjuring situations where her true love would save her bravely.

Tsunade sighed as she saw her glassy eyes and far-away look on her face and decided she should tell Shizune and Sakura to stop lending her romantic pocketbooks.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Miki was walking home late afternoon she was swarmed with some of her more courageous admirers who wanted to walk her home and since her 'no' meant 'yes, I'd love to' to them, she decided to remain quiet. Unfortunately, her silence meant the same thing to them as her 'no'.

As they neared the Uchiha complex, Miki could see her brothers standing by the gates like some grumpy guards. Knowing how they disapproved of the sight of her surrounded by her eager fanboys and not wanting their gates to be tainted with blood she said, "You guys better leave now."

But all ten of them shook their head. They wanted to prove to her that they weren't afraid of her brothers especially Yuuzuki.

"Suit yourselves," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. She had tried to save them.

The moment they stood in front of the three young Uchiha males they regretted their decision. Kisho was giving them the trademark Uchiha glare, Akemi was looking predatory and seemed poised to attack them if he so desired and Yuuzuki had his eyes bleeding red as he coolly stared down at them.

"It's nice to see you again," he said in a friendly manner and with a grin that seemed to be feral.

"Would you like to step inside?" Akemi asked calmly and politely but there was a cold edge in his voice.

"I'd love to," one of the boys said and the others thought he had gone crazy to walk into what would be his grave. "But I had an errand to do," he finished with feigned regret. He bowed and took his leave and the others one by one followed suit, stuttering any lame excuses their panicking mind could conjure at that moment.

"With you guys scaring everybody, I'll end up getting old alone," she muttered with a sigh.

"I'll be with neesan always so you'll not be alone," Kisho assured childishly.

The girl sighed some more before starting to correct her younger brother. "Kisho, what I mean is-"

"You're too young to think of that, Miki/ interrupted a slightly annoyed Yuuzuki. He definitely didn't want his sister to be like hundreds of girls in Konoha who are more interested in boys than ninjutsus. She has more potential to be just a stupid untalented kunoichi.

Miki shrugged. "I'll bake you guys some cookies and in return you'll do me a favor."

Only the youngest Uchiha was eager not only because her cookies were the best but because he was close to his sister. On the other hand, the two were wary. Yes, they loved her cookies but they'd never go shopping with her, if that was what she wanted. Such activity would cause their respective fangirls to drool or swarm them like bees.

"C'mon, follow me," she said and walked inside. The three wordlessly followed her inside the house and into her room. They watched as she rummaged her closet and started throwing all clothes that were too provocative.

"Miki," Akemi said with a frown. "We know you were upset this morning but we're just worried and your get-up almost gave chichiue a heart attack."

"I think running away is best done with no one's knowledge and without help from the people you're running away from," Yuuzuki stated flatly but his eyes were narrowed.

Kisho looked deeply troubled as one thing kept on replying in his mind: Miki is leaving. He wanted for her to stay but after what happened earlier, he guessed she no longer wanted to stay. But if he'd accompany her, he'd certainly missed everybody. He was torn whether to ask her to take him with her or to stay.

"What are you saying? All I wanted is for you guys to place this in a box and hide it," she explained.

"Why?" the blonde boy asked.

"Because I decided not to wear those until I'm strong and old enough." _And naturally and sinfully seductive like chichiue_, she added mentally. Besides in her opinion wearing these clothes now was just like cosplaying as a lady. A few years wouldn't cause irreparable damage to her reputation anyway. "And just so I won't be tempted even once, I want you to hide it. Hide okay? not burn," she added as she noticed the mischievous glint in the eyes of her oldest brother. She didn't break her gaze on Yuuzuki until he nodded.

"But fashion is fleeting. This style won't be popular later on," her taciturn brother stated matter-of-factly.

Miki posed arrogantly, "a girl especially kunoichi knows how to adapt in any situation. Not to mention, I have a good sense of fashion."

Kisho giggled while Akemi rolled his eyes and Yuuzuki sighed. The Uchiha muse clapped her hands to motivate them, "You better start moving or there won't be supper or cookies for you."

At the mention of supper, the three remembered that both of their parents would be late coming home due to a meeting, thus Miki volunteered to cook for them and made them realized they were at her mercy. How they wished their parents would arrive early

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Chorus of 'otsukaresama deshita' and 'gokurousama' erupted in one of the meeting room as the Rokudaime ended the quarterly meeting joined by the hokage himself, the elders, the top liaison officers, the highest echelon of ANBU and of the medic-nin association. Quietly but in their usual quickness everybody left the office until it was only Naruto and his secretary were left.

The blonde slid few documents across the table, "Konohamaru, file them in an ordinary folder and label them as what they are. After that, you can leave for home."

The lad nodded. "What about you?"

"I'll stay a bit longer to review the matters that were raised during the meeting."

"Very well just don't push yourself too hard, Naruto-nii," he said in a worried tone. Gone was the professional treatment he practiced just to show he meant it as his friend and not as a subordinate.

The hokage grinned and replied in the same unprofessional manner, "That should be my line. You're the one who's been working overtime a lot lately."

The other just chuckled in response then bid the blond goodnight before he too left.

Half an hour later, Naruto was leisurely walking the path that would lead him home. His movements were as smooth as before as if he hadn't been paralyzed. A smile lit his visage as he felt Sasuke emerging from the darkness and shadows to join him. As if in silent cue, both of them took off the symbols of their status- Naruto his hokage hat and Sasuke his porcelain mask at the same time because without them wearing those, they were just an ordinary couple. The ANBU captain thrust his mask into his pouch before grabbing the hokage hat, silently volunteering to carry it for his wife. Side by side the two walked, the back of their hands slightly brushing against one another.

Sasuke smirked when he felt Naruto clasped their hands, the latter's fingers filling the gap between his.

Looking up to his husband, the blond said, "let's go to the nearby park."

"This isn't a date, dobe," his spouse quickly replied yet he didn't protest when his wife led them to the nearby playground.

Naruto childishly settled on the swing and looked over his shoulder, silently asking Sasuke to push the swing.

"The hell I would," he said and continued leaning against one of the poles holding the swings. But that was before the blonde sent a puppy look to his direction. "Do you still have to use that?" he asked sourly.

The blonde giggled. "Yeah and apparently it's still effective," he replied his spouse started pushing him.

Few seconds later, peals of Naruto's laughter filled the place as he oscillated back and forth, getting closer with the inky night sky but he wanted to get closer. "More, Sasuke, more," he demanded between giggles with the night breeze whipping against his face. "Harder! Harder, Sasuke."

The brunette cheeks grew redder at his partner's demand. In his opinion, it was just so wrong for his dobe to say things like that while he was riding the swing as it reminded him of a very flushed and writhing Naruto wantonly demanding for more. Diverting his mind from his rising urge, Sasuke realized that his stomach was empty and decided to do something about it at the same time stop his dobe from being so damned unconsciously seductive.

"C'mon, dobe. Let's have dinner together somewhere."

"I thought this isn't a date," Naruto teased.

"It won't be if I'll be dragging you with me."

"Bastard." The blonde jumped from the plank as it reached it swing peak and the brunette took the necessary few steps to catch his beloved in his arms and captured his lips for a slow, deep and sensual kiss that left the latter dizzy.

"I love you too, Sasuke-teme," a breathless Naruto said after awhile.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki's left pointer finger softly tapped her study table as she read about medicinal plants. Once in awhile, in her neat handwriting she wrote notes and comments at the edges of the scrolls.

At the knock on her door, she placed her pen on the table and turned around just as her parents walked inside.

"Welcome home," she greeted politely while readying herself to be reprimanded. She watched as both of her parents seated themselves on the edge of her bed.

"Miki, how many times did we tell you to be self-dependent?" Naruto asked. "You can't always rely on us especially Kisho to wake you up."

In reply, she just pouted.

"Did you forget that using your techniques inside the house is prohibited especially if it is an offense one?" Sasuke added.

"It was just a game and it's not like he can't deflect. If he couldn't niisan-tachi would."

Both men shook their heads in disapproval and the girl knew that her punishment would be handed at the end of this little session.

"And your get-up this morning-"

"Tsunade-sama had already discussed it with me," she said, interrupting her blond father. "And I understand. I even promised not to wear those kinds of clothes until I could defend myself sufficiently. When that happens, chichiue, teach me all about make-up and mature stuffs." She finished with a mischievous wink.

"Make-up? Mature stuffs?" Naruto echoed dumbly while looking at her owlishly. "I don't know-" He gasped as his daughter threw herself to him and clutched his right arm.

"Oiroke no jutsu. Harem no jutsu. You made it perfect because you knew what means to be a lady!"

"Oh," he replied eloquently. He shared a half-worried and half-amused look with Sasuke before they watched their daughter who was now rambling on the things she expects her father to teach her.

Looking at her, the awareness that she was growing up quickly made their hearts heavy and they knew they had no choice but to accept it but why was the thought of letting her go seemed unbearably painful?

**TBC**

* * *

You know how parents always seemed to be so dramatic over their children's growth. Sasu and Naru are experiencing that.

Otsukaresama and Gokurousama mean "thank you for your hard work". The former is polite and is used by junior to his senior; strangers to strangers: acquaintances to acquaintances and sometimes junior to junior if the latter wants to be polite. It's informal is otsukare. Gokurousama is used by senior to junior. The informal is gokurou.


	40. 力の炎

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OC and unbeta-read**

**Standard disclaimer's apply.**

**Author's notes: Sorry, I got distracted. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 40: Burst out**

Akemi muttered a cursed as his flame flickered then snuffed out. With his strength gone, he found himself falling backwards and landing on the ground with no grace or whatsoever.

He raised his shaking left hand to the sky, watching his hand closed around the bright disc before he opened his hand to block the brilliant lights. His was still panting and his muscles and his eyes were screaming in exhaustion but he thought he could still do it. He had been training for four hours none-stop and Yuuzuki had just joined him almost two hours ago.

"I think you should need rest, Akemi," Yuuzuki said as he watched his brother's eyes flickering from red to black. "Besides, your technique had improved. The image is still blurry but at least it had taken a perfect form."

The younger one just shook his head. He couldn't speak straight yet because his lungs demanded air. "C-cant… I…. can…still…do… it."

"Yes, you can but just rest for awhile."

And just to stop his eyes from burning in pain, he closed them…

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Kisho," Sasuke called out as he reached the park where the kids played while waiting for their parents to get them.

The boy looked up from his sand castle and grinned. "Otousan," he shouted, his hand waving furiously.

"Let's go home now."

The boy nodded. Hand in hand they walked together. On the way home, upon the boy's insistence, the brunette bought him a cone of ice cream. A soft smile graced his lips as his boy started licking the dessert.

On one particular street, there were dogs loitering in the middle of it, some of them playing trying to find a mate for the approaching season. However, even when father and son were just few meters away from them, the dogs immediately parted and stayed at the sides, trying to be as invisible as they can be.

"Such good dogs," the boy innocently commented as he looked up for his father's agreement. His otousan nodded automatically and he continued gazing forward, not noticing the slight frown that marred his older man's visage.

Pity and guilt welled up inside Sasuke because he knew that the dogs were scared of his son and he wondered if Kisho would end up like Naruto, being hated and isolated for the power that he has. Would he feel as lonely as he and his blonde had during their childhood? As he thought of this, his protectiveness seemed to grow in intensity,

"Can I go there?" Kisho's jarred him from his dark thoughts and followed the direction the boy's finger was pointing.

The Ninja Academy..

"This afternoon, our teacher took us there and showed us around," he explained never bothering to wait for his dark-haired father to react. "The place looks fun and I want to learn what the others are leaning."

Sasuke settled his hand on a mop of blond hair, "I'm going to tell chichiue about this, okay?"

"Okay. I'll probably meet a lot of friends there just like Yuuzuki-niichan."

And the older man faltered in his step as he heard such statement being said in a voice full of hope and from the very bottom of his heart, he wished his boy would.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

His eyes voluntarily shut themselves at the onslaught of breathtaking and mind-numbing pleasure as Sasuke piston in and out of his writhing and melting body. His arms were tightly wrapped around his spouse's shoulder pulling him closer at the same time clutching him as they rocked together at a maddening pace. His heels dug into his back welcoming him into his tight heat, asking him to plunder all that he was, pushing him to break and rebuild him; to drown him or to suffocate him.

Sasuke echoed Naruto's deep guttural groan was echoed while he was desperately ramming into him, wrapping and overloading his senses with the blonde's heat, warmth and need.

When they came together, their rapture was like an explosion that rocked the world and shook the universe. And then, there was an echoing silence.

Sasuke sighed deeply as the after effects of their passion shook him to the very core. Few seconds later, he extracted himself from Naruto at the same time dropped a soft kiss on his forehead.

"God! Am I still alive?" Naruto asked breathlessly. He never thought it was possible for a man to feel such pleasure and happiness without bursting to a wild flame and burning to death.

"Dobe," Sasuke murmured between chuckles but he too was feeling what the other was feeling.

"What were you trying to say before that pleasurable interruption?" the blonde asked. The question had ruined the light mood but he didn't give a damn. Whatever topic Sasuke wanted to discuss earlier, he knew it must be important.

"Kisho wants to be enrolled at the academy already."

Naruto frowned. "At the age of five? Isn't it too early?" But both of them know there was no age qualification at the academy.

"What should we do? He's serious when he said that to me."

The blonde looked at him, reading past that calm mask while his long fingers threaded through dark locks. His spouse looked troubled, obviously having a hard time deciding unlike him who had already made a choice. "If you're left to decide this whole matter, what will your decision be?"

"My decision…" the brunette echoed. A part of him wanted to give in to his boy's desire knowing that in there he would grow and learn. But the other part of him, the protective side of him was against it. He didn't want Kisho to undergo what Naruto had- being isolated and ignored by most people because of his uniqueness. But then again, Kisho could not be ignored, could never be ignored because he is an Uchiha and an Uchiha always has everybody's attention, regardless if it's unwanted. That would mean he won't be ignored but definitely isolated and bullied. But there might be a chance for him to meet someone who would be his friend forever just liked how he found Naruto but could he let Kisho go through the harshness just so he could find someone who could accept his difference?

"Sasuke?" Naruto cautiously called when his spouse remained quiet for too long.

"I don't know, Naruto. I'm torn," he admitted in a fearful whisper. "I wish I wasn't horny that time, then he wouldn't be conceived at an inappropriate moment and he wouldn't be different."

The other man scowled. "No. If it weren't for Kyuubi-" He paused when a finger was laid on the blonde's lips to cut him off.

"If it weren't for Kyuubi, I wouldn't be a father."

"Then don't ever say what you said a second ago," he replied harshly. "It's not like we planned to make love on that day. Everything was spontaneous just like tonight. Besides, you didn't take me or made me submit to you, I was just as horny as you were."

Sasuke appreciated the reply and showed it through his soft kiss.

"Take your time in deciding, Sasuke and whatever you decide, I'll follow it," Naruto whispered

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Few hours later, Sasuke was still wide-awake, unlike his wife who was peacefully sleeping. Quietly and slowly he got out of bed, grabbed his yukata and went to Kisho's room. From the doorway, standing in the shadows, he watched his youngest child sleeping.

_Okaasan, tell me what to do._

But there was only silence so he continued watching, trying to find an answer... trying to decide correctly for Kisho's sake. In the end, he realized that no matter how much he wanted to keep his son from the harshness of life, he had to let Kisho experience as much as he could as well as let him widen his own world. That was the only way for his blonde child to live. To grow.

When he returned to join Naruto in their bed, the blonde snuggled close to him. "Where had you been?" he murmured sleepily, his eyes still closed.

"We could only watch and support them as they learn life's lessons and we could only comfort them during their painful moments," he said and felt his spouse nod his head in agreement.

"That's the hardest part but we have to bear it. It's the only way."

And the brunette couldn't help but agree with him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The atmosphere hovering above Akemi's group was a mixture of anxiety and excitement as they were sent on a B mission alone as it was the time of the year when Konoha was at its busiest and competent genin cells were sent on B or C missions without their instructors.

Akemi's team dropped to the ground and hid behind the bushes as they sensed few people approaching quickly.

"It seemed we arrived earlier or the carriers of the red dossier had already passed by," one of them said and the Konoha ninjas knew they were referring to them. They remained quiet, hoping the five guys would leave without them detecting their chakra.

A few seconds later, which for them were like an eternity, the men left and they sighed in relief. Wataru, their self-appointed team leader started drawing their plan.

"Let's head towards thirty degrees from our point. We could hide behind trees and planned our attacks or we could sneak past them," he said intelligently.

"No," Akemi replied in a hushed voice. "It would be better if we head northeast."

"But it's an open space, we could be hit," Ayame replied.

"And we could attack back. There won't be any hiding place for both sides and there's a big chance they didn't expect us to go there." Then he added, "And it's better than an area filled with traps."

Wataru scowled, "Are you implying that the area I've chosen is filled with traps?"

The other boy couldn't help but smirked, "just stating the fact." In his opinion whoever wanted the scroll had already readied traps in paths they expect them to take. And if the direction they came from would be taken into account then two quadrants had already been covered by them. Of this, Akemi was certain.

Their leader seemed to choke with anger but he managed to hiss, "Scared you won't be able to detect and counter the traps?"

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow. He wasn't scared but it was obvious the two were. Wataru was good in hiding from battles or participating less and the thought of engaging in a full fight in an open area to boot scared him. Ayame, on the other hand, just didn't want to get involved in a fight under the blazing heat of the sun for her complexion's sake and she didn't want to be pitied against an opponent stronger than her. She didn't want to die yet.

"What do you think?"

"Then you better follow us, kid."

"Hey, wait!"

But the two had already moved, leaving an annoyed Akemi. True he was still a kid but so were they. There were just two years older than him. But what annoyed him more was that Wataru said it in arrogant and condescending manner. He wouldn't had mind if Wataru was better than him or if his skills were good enough to back-up his arrogance but dammit, they weren't.

With a sigh, he followed them towards their grave while wishing he was assigned to another cell. He knew their teamwork were way beyond poor and all because the two were making a big deal of their age gap. They refused to listen to his suggestions or asked for his opinions because in their eyes he was still too young to be taken seriously. But Akemi knew age never mattered in their profession or in the battle field and the sooner those two idiots would realize the better for all of them.

He knew without asking that one or both of his companions had stepped on some hidden thin wire as he saw something gleaming ahead of them and moving to their direction. A curse flew from his lips as he immediately recognized the approaching objects as kunai and his reaction was natural, fluid, smooth and quick that it created an illusion of it as just single arm movement.

He snatched his shuriken from his pouch and threw them towards their enemis' kunai deflecting them before the other two ninjas could manage a sound. A deflected one fell somewhere and triggered an explosion that rocked the area around it. Wataru and Ayame seemed rooted to where they stopped before self-preservation kicked in. They realized they had made a mistake and they were now willing to listen to Uchiha's suggestion but it was already too late.

"Move forward," they heard Akemi said, no, commanded. Wataru was about to protest but he continued, "They're closing in on us from behind!"

The news scared Ayame more and made her wished Chouji-sensei was there. He would definitely flatten their attackers at the same time get rid of the traps with his not-so-impressive but nevertheless effective techniques.

Akemi's hands itched to slap his female teammate but there was no time for that so he managed to bite out, "Sensei isn't here. If you want to live then fight for all you're worth."

That statement seemed to snap both shaking ninjas. They gulped and with shaking hands took out their kunai. "You guys go ahead of me. I'll try to stall them," he said and looked pleased to see the two nodding their heads in agreement but that was before he heard them bickering. If their opponents won't kill those two, he was certain he would. What were they doing? This wasn't the time to act like some stupid couple.

"You better not sneak away from me," Ayame said, her clammy left hand holding Wataru's elbow tightly.

"What do you think of me? A coward?" the other replied annoyingly as he slapped her hand away before her perfectly trimmed nails would dig deeper into his skin.

Turn, duck, lean to the side, flip backward, jump, round-house kick, lift elbow… Every move was easy that Akemi felt like he was dancing. The adrenaline that rushed through him, the excitement that pounded his heart was nothing compared to the spars he had with his parents and siblings but it was still good.

Wataru neatly leaned backward to let the shuriken fly past him. He raised his left leg to parry a kick and returned one. He moved quickly and let his arm cut through the wind and slit one man's throat. He smiled as the man fell to the ground dead. The fight was easier than he thought and his confidence grew. His hands formed seals and summoned one basic fire technique to counter the mist of rain one of his opponents used. He knew water would evaporate so he was surprised when the rain drops went past his flame and embedded themselves into the trees. What? Wataru gaped and realized that they were not rain but thin needles. He couldn't perform complete hand seals as the man continued using same techniques, giving him no time to attack. He could only evade until his back was pressed on someone's chest. He frozen when he felt an arm wrapped around his shoulders and the sharp point of the kunai was pressed against his throat. At that moment, he niche of the tree he saw from the corner of his eye seemed more tempting than ever.

Ayame made a clone of herself but before she could make a move of herself, her beautiful clone was destroyed a perverted-looking man. She made another and the result was the same.

"Do you take me for a fool, missie?" he drawled, making her skin crawl. "It would take more than that to kill me."

"I'll do anything to do just that," she said and she moved forward to attack him. The man threw his head back and laughed leisurely. He felt her killing aura but it was just tickling him. Man who live and survived in the wilderness would never tremble in that kind of death's face. It was nothing compared to what he could do. He became serious and directed all his killing intent on her.

Ayame stopped dead cold and fell on butt, her knees to weak to support her. She was convulsing and her eyes were wide with fear as the man started moving closer to her. She pushed herself to move back.

"Don't come…" she said, her lips trembling.

He smiled. He knew he could kill her immediately but it had been a long time since he played with his victim. He took another step, enjoying the fear dancing in her eyes. Lovely…

"S-s-stop!" she screamed.

Akemi snapped his head over his shoulder and let his gaze wander to where his teammates were there. They were cornered and a scowl crossed his handsome face. He hated Wataru and he disliked her but they were a team and teammates helped each other. Wataru maybe egotistical and a pain in the ass and Ayame was more cut out to be a model with her deep interest with fashion and cosmetics then with ninjutsus but at that moment they needed his help. He didn't want to go back to Konoha alone. He didn't want to their parents crying knowing their children died brutally and most importantly, he didn't want to see sadness in Rokudaime's eyes knowing two lives had been taken. No, he didn't want that.

With such thoughts swirling in his mind, another tomoe added in his eyes making him see things clearer than just one tomoe could allow him. But it didn't come to his notice as he was quickly doing hand seals that he had been executing since three months ago. The hand seals that he had created.

All actions stopped as all eyes were on the youngest Konoha ninja as red orange vapors started rising out from his body, gathering, hovering above him. Whatever it was, it must be strong as everything around him seemed to react. The air swirled around him; leaves rustled while some of them including pebbles and were drawn into that whirling momentum caused by his chakra. Once in a while, few leaves crackled and burned into ashes.

When the vapors had formed a perfect oblong-shaped, Akemi opened his eyes and everybody's silent question was answered when the hovering object spread its wings revealing what it was – a phoenix of flame. And the moment its wings were spread completely, a new color spread all throughout its body in glittering light.

Everybody gaped at the huge and elegant silver phoenix with its wings tinged with golden red. The phoenix stared at its audience with coal black eyes before it surged upward and then swooped down towards its targets.

The moment flame phoenix touched or brushed their opponent, they immediately burst into flames. Not one of them was spared. They were chased or searched then executed. Wataru yelped when the edge of the bird's left wing brushed against his arms. But instead of being burned, all he felt was a hot wind brushing against him. He looked stunned and noticed that except for their opponents all the things it touched didn't burn.

When it was over, the phoenix disappeared like a hot haze, distorting the space then it was gone.

"That was awesome," Wataru immediately said.

"How did you manage that Uchiha?" Ayame asked almost breathlessly.

But their praises and inquiries didn't reach Akemi who was surprised of how things turned out. He had been practicing the technique for 3 months straight and had never gotten it perfect until now. The attack was way beyond words and its form was perfect. It was better than he had dreamt. Was this what his otousan said about strength and power? He looked at his hands and clenched them.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke and Yuuzuki paused from their serious discussion when Akemi waltzed into the study room louder than his usual entrance. They noticed that his eyes were gleaming with victory.

"Aniki, you should have seen it," he said, completely forgetting to say 'I'm home'. "It was better. It didn't burn anything aside from the enemies. The image was amazingly detailed "

"What didn't burn what?" Sasuke asked, totally lost and curious but he was the only one to feel that way because Yuuzuki was nodding and smiling.

"My flame phoenix technique," Akemi said almost impatiently, annoyed that he was interrupted with his story.

Shaking his head, Sasuke just leaned back on his chair and listened to Akemi, trying to understand the whole thing.

**TBC**

* * *

hehehe Unlike wataru, Akemi had every reason to be arrogant because his skills are way above their level and he seemed to understand the dynamics of teamwork. Akemi learned from the best, ne Yuu-chan? 


	41. 愛の彩り

**Standard disclaimers and warnings apply. (I'm just lazy to type it today.)**

**Responses to not-so-anonymous reviews:**

**Raven: Your review showed how much you like the fic. Thanks.**

**Tsuki: Wataru and Ayame were from his own class except that they enrolled a late while Akemi enrolled early.**

**Krystel Angel: One day and a half? And your eyeballs didn't pop out from their sockets? Woot! Congratulations and thank you for being that committed. –smiles-**

**Pedestrian: A reason why most people I know dreaded parenthood.**

**Blue feather: I'll be dealing that other fic after I got this done. Thanks.**

**Uka Hinari: 9.9 out of 10, eh? That's already an accomplishment in and out of itself. I'm glad you still like it. cookies…**

* * *

**Chapter 41: Shards of Love **

Sasuke rolled to the side where Naruto was lying as he seek out that familiar warmth but found nothing but air. He cracked one eye opened and realized he was alone in their bed. He looked outside through the window and saw it was still dark. He looked at the clock and realized it was still past 4 in the morning. Where was his dobe, anyway? He couldn't be in the CR because there wasn't a telltale sign that it was being occupied. Grumbling incoherent, he stretched his body and got out of bed.

He didn't understand why he was fully-awake at this time when his body had been sore after that S-class mission. Not giving too much damn about it, he mindlessly walked towards the kitchen and realized the lights were on.

Naruto was in the kitchen, preparing their breakfast earlier than usual. He knew that when the blonde would get up early to prepare breakfast that meant the latter would be leaving for the office around six for some important matters to be settled immediately.

Instead of announcing his presence, Sasuke leaned against the doorjamb, obsidian eyes intensely watching the blonde who was moving around in his little kingdom – the Uchiha mansion's kitchen. A smile touched his lips as he heard Naruto humming a gentle song.

Who would have thought years ago that the boisterous and impulsive Naruto would make a good spouse? Who would have thought that he would look sexy in an ordinary apron? Who would have thought that even now both of them were still deeply in love each other?

Yes, they had been married more or less twenty years ago and yet nothing between them had dwindled. It was as if they were just married months ago if their passion was any indication. Their kisses seemed always new to him, as if it was their first. Was it possible to love this much? Was this still love or something more powerful than that? Was there something more powerful than love? And if so, what was?

A clattering sound snapped him out from his thoughts just in time to see Naruto mumbled a curse before picking up the knife from the floor. As he did so, the blonde noticed his sole audience.

"Are you hurt?" Sasuke said before words could come out from those sweet lips.

"Just a cut. It's not something Kyuubi can't heal," he said and although the brunette knew it, he held out his injured finger and let him see the already healing wound.

"You're such a dobe," he uttered in an affectionate way making the blonde chuckle.

"Good morning too, bastard. Did I wake you up?" Naruto continued as he turned and grabbed two mugs to start making coffee.

"Your absence in our bed did," was Sasuke's smooth reply as he stood behind him. He could hear his wife's soft gasp when his hand covered his which was holding the instant coffee jar. He dipped his head forward, dropping a kiss on the other's shoulder. "I'll prepare them. Just resume preparing whatever our breakfast is."

Naruto's hand snaked around to settle on the brunette's nape and then he titled his head to give Sasuke a sweet kiss. He always loved their morning tender moments and was one of things he looked forward too when he woke up.

Few minutes later, Sasuke brought Naruto's mug of coffee to the other side of the kitchen. He leaned back against the counter and Naruto wordlessly leaned against him, half of his body covering Sasuke's.

The blonde stifled when he felt a hand sneaking under his apron.

"What's that reaction?" an amused Sasuke said,

"I'm wondering if you have plans to take off my clothes and leave the apron."

He 'hmm'ed and there was a soft clinking sound as he settled his cup on the counter to let his hand joined his other, making the blonde fidget more. "Lovely suggestion but it is much better if I would also take off your yukata and leave the obi too."

He didn't have to look at his spouse to know he was blushing. He could feel the hitching of his breath when he fingered the edges of his yukata. "What do you think, hm?"

"I think you're getting more perverted as you grow older." And whatever comeback Sasuke decided for that was smothered by a pair of provocative lips.

In between cooking and drinking coffee, they shared hot and gentle kisses and teasing and fleeting touches.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Intense blue eyes trailed her form, looking at the way her body move gracefully, committing it to his memories that would give him strength to continue fighting in order to live, in order to see her welcoming smile every time he return to Konoha after mission.

He watched her because it was the only thing he could do because he knew she wasn't interested in him. Ironic wasn't it? That the girl he admired, had come to love was the one who showed no interest in him. She didn't say it aloud but her actions did.

He was aware that to her, he was just a friend and one of the great ANBU members. She was just a chuunin and she always gave him the respect that was due to him as someone who was above her. It frustrated him to no end that most of her smiles where polite except when he would be gone from the village longer than five days. It drove him mad to see her bowing every time they would meet. He wanted her to look at him with admiration, adoration and love that he always saw subtly shining in his parents' eyes when they were looking at each other. Why couldn't she see him past his status?

He wanted to take her to dinner or to walk her home or just spend time together with her but he was scared because she had turned down offers from the other guys – guys who were more confident than him.

He sighed and hung his head lost on what to do. He was so pathetic. He could think of counter attacks and plans in just a snap of his fingers regardless of what pressure he was in. He could come up with techniques that could kick ass. He was a genius when it came to his profession but when it came to love… he was as knowledgeable as a baby.

He could ask some suggestions from his subordinates but judging from their personality their help wasn't the one he was looking for. He could go to his uncle Sai but he was certain the Root commander would just talk to him about sex. How could he listen to such talk when he couldn't even make his crush notice him in a way he wanted to? Perhaps Jiraiya… he shook his head. He couldn't also go to Kakashi as both of them would just teach him how to give the girl a mind-blowing orgasm, something which he didn't want to know at that moment.

As embarrassing as he thought it was, he had no choice. He had to talk with his otousan.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yuuzuki fidgeted on his chair as he sat across his father in their study room. His head was slightly bowed and his hands were stiffly placed on his lap.

Sasuke didn't know what to make of this situation but considering that Yuuzuki had even made sure to secure the room for no eavesdropper, it must be something serious.

The boy opened his mouth to speak then closed it again. He took a deep breath and said, "Howcanimakethegirlilikenoticeandfallinlovewithme?"

Sasuke gaped at him, "What? You speak too fast."

The blushing younger boy inhaled again and repeated but this slowly and shyly, "I like this girl but she only sees me according to my status and accomplishment. I want her to notice and like me too."

The older man looked uncomfortable at the same time sheepish. He didn't know how to answer that question. As far as he could remember, the girls loved him despite his being a bastard, as Naruto always reminded him. Besides, he hadn't fallen in love with a girl and he didn't have to resort to make Naruto fall in love with him. They just click like pieces of puzzle fitting together immediately. He abandoned Konoha harboring feelings to his best friend and when he returned, he proposed. There was no courting unless their sparring and his calling him "dobe" and "usoratonkachi" could be counted as one. He was sure beating the girl black and blue during sparring and insulting her wouldn't be a good way for Yuuzuki. That only worked between him and Naruto and he was proud to admit that.

"I'm sorry but honestly, I don't know how you should do it," he said apologetically and Yuuzuki seemed to plunge deeper into despair. "But I think, you should spend more time with her while being yourself. You have to get her to know you."

The boy could see his otousan was having a hard time too. He seemed to lack confident while giving him advice.

"Whatever you do, just be yourself," Sasuke repeated.

Their meeting was interrupted by a knock on the door and Naruto's smiling face pop inside. "Sasuke, Yuu-chan, dinner," Naruto called out.

"Perhaps I should him," Yuuzuki mumbled.

Sasuke snorted, "Chichiue is clueless also."

"Clueless of what?" the blonde repeated his gaze shifting between his two of his most precious persons.

"I wanted some girl to notice and like me back," Yuuzuki said quickly but the blonde catch on.

"Okay…" he said and paused because he wasn't sure. Asking your crush for dates over and over again was a big no-no based on his experience with Sakura. He looked at Sasuke wondering how he made the bastard fall in love again and realized he didn't do anything but be himself. "Just be yourself," he finally managed to say.

"See, I told you. He's clueless," Sasuke said but his eyes were on his dobe who half-heartedly glare at him.

"As if you aren't," he retorted. "I didn't make you work to get me."

"If I recall, you almost beat me up before I managed to grab you long enough to make my proposal," he countered.

"That doesn't count as courting."

Sighing deeply and paying no attention to his parents' banter, he left the room. He should just be himself and wished he could find love as near as strong as his parents.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"What's with that dejected look?" Shouhei, Neji and Tenten's second son and Yuuzuki's closest friend next to his cousin, Hisayuki, asked as he joined him in the Uchiha training ground. "Are you sure, you're up for a spar? Because man it would suck if I beat the great Yuuzuki so easily."

He looked at him and smiled, amused, "Girls."

Yuuzuki sighed, "What would you know about them? You had never loved nor had a crush on anyone. You're focus on improving the Hyuuga techniques."

"Of course," he agreed. But it was a lie but no one would know because he had been lying for almost a year now. If people would know, worse, if five people would know about his object of affection, he would be dead. And he didn't want to die… He wanted to grow old with her.

Yuuzuki stood up and dusted his pants. "Whatever. Show me what you got, Shou."

The other boy smiled and the Uchiha youngster watched as his brown eyes faded into silver-white as he activated his byakugan.

**TBC**

* * *

This chapter is more or less pointless but I wanted to write it. You have to excuse me for my silliness. 8 minutes to go before Blood+. Waiting is such a sorrow. 


	42. 少年の生き方

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OC, OOC and unbeta-read**

**Standard disclaimer applies**

**Sorry for the long wait, guys. I am doing this quickly because neesan is here. >. As always, thank you for sticking around.**

**

* * *

****Chapter 42: Impostor**

Like any kids, Kisho felt trepidation on his first day of school. It didn't matter to him that all his classmate were two or three years older than him. What made him nervous was just the thought that he was going to school, spending most of his time of the day in that building instead of at home or at the day care center. He futilely tried to quell the butterflies that had occupied in his stomach as the class adviser led him to his class.

During lunch break, everybody looked surprised when Kisho pulled out his big lunch box and then envious as Kisho opened his lunch box, revealing mouth-watering food. They kept on taking sideway glances at his lunch and wondered where it all went when 30 minutes later his lunch box was empty. Was it possible for a five-year-old kid to eat a lunch fit for almost three people? What the hell was he?

That same question was repeated when after the class, they spent their free time running around, playing and while everybody was panting, gasping and wheezing Kisho just stood there calmly.

"Aren't you tired?" one boy dared to ask.

Kisho looked at him quizzically. Tired? Were all his classmates that weak that running around for almost 35 minutes made them this exhausted? He shook his head, "That was nothing."

"You're weird," the boy mumbled and the blonde Uchiha could feel eyes staring at him weirdly. Whatever those stares meant, he didn't like it. He may not understand it completely but something tells him they didn't like him, that he wasn't being welcomed.

The next day, during lunch time he only ate one-third of his lunch and shared the rest with his classmates who was more than happy to partake. During their playtime, when two boys crashed on the ground, claiming they were exhausted, Kisho immediately followed suit and started panting. The others looked at him but this time there was now acceptance as they realized that Kisho was not different. He was one of them. The boy had felt that welcoming aura and he smiled as he continued panting, ignoring the slight burning sensation of his lungs at the unwelcome rush of oxygen.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Uwa Kisho," Naruto cried out as the boy stepped into the kitchen, "I missed you!" then proceeded to suffocate the boy with his hug. "How was school today?" he asked as he pulled back.

"I made lots of friends," the boy replied proudly and the man beamed. "Ne, chichiue, tomorrow can you make me lunch good for 7 persons?"

"Not until you give me a hug."

Kisho then hugged him fiercely.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Tanabe, the academy principal slid a copy of Kisho's first quarterly report over the table and watched as his former classmates, now Konoha's elders, looked over it. He saw surprised, disappointment and relief rolled into one in their eyes.

"His grades shows that he is neither the top of their class nor the dead-last," Ishii said after awhile. .

"The youngest Uchiha seemed ordinary, doesn't he?" his female classmate Tamura commented off-handedly.

"Overlooking the fact that the animals are scared of him, yes, he is," Tanabe replied.

"What do his classmates say about this?" the male elder asked.

"They think it is cool. They assumed that it is his talent."

"What about his performance? His interaction with the other students?" Tamura inquired.

"He's making friends. He's really an ordinary child despite who his parents are. Or to be more correct, what his chichiue is."

"Which is puzzling because animals are scared of him and yet…" the older woman trailed off, confused. Something was off.

"Perhaps, he couldn't use all of that chakra," the principal supplied.

"He isn't a threat after all," Ishii murmured and received a glare from the only woman from the room. "We are safe for now," he added.

"We couldn't let our guard down," she seemed to snap at no one in particular. "Keep us posted with the child's development."

-SasuNaru is love-

Naruto noticed the frown on his spouse's face. Was Sasuke disappointed of Kisho's academic grades? It seemed so. "At least, he isn't the dead-last."

"But he could do better," he replied. He just knew it.

"Why couldn't you just accept that fact that Kisho isn't like you or Yuuzuki or Akemi?" he said. He couldn't mention Miki because the girl didn't go to the academy. Tsunade didn't want her to as the lessons taught in there were about general stuffs. Under her tutelage, the girl would learn not only those but also others that were important in the field she was pursuing.

Sasuke sighed. "Naruto," he said seriously, "something is off. Something is holding him back."

"No, Sasuke. I don't think there is something. He's still five years old surrounded by two or three years older than him for Pete's sake. Give him some time to adjust. You can't expect all of our children to meet your standards."

The brunette remained silent. He didn't want to start another argument with the blonde, something which was what they had been doing lately and he was already tired. He filed Kisho's report on a folder and placed it in one of his drawers.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"No, no, no, no," Akemi repeated almost frustratingly at Kisho. He had taken it as his task to train his brother when he saw his report card but it had proven a very difficult one. Sometimes the older boy was driven close to pulling his hair or banging his head on the nearest hard object or stomping his feet in frustration. "Didn't I tell you not to grip the shuriken too tightly?"

"I'm tired, niichan," the boy lied. He wasn't actually tired but he wanted to think he was. After all, he didn't want to improve too much and to come out better than the rest of his friends. Akemi looked at him in disbelief then in acceptance, "we definitely need to improve your endurance."

-SasuNarui is love-

His sharp senses told him that an object was thrown at his direction but instead of moving immediately, he let it get close to him within seven inches before he moved. Slowly. And let it missed him by hairsbreadth.

Saburo laughed as he picked up the eraser. "Slowpoke," he said, "I threw it almost two meters away from you, y'know." Then he added arrogantly, "I could detect any moving objects within three meters."

He would be put to shame if he knew that Kisho could effortlessly do more than that since birth. He could hear any sounds and smell any scent within seven meters in radius. All along he thought this was normal until he saw how his classmates struggle hard to widen their range of detection. Realizing this, he decided to pretend more.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Did something happen at school?" Sasuke asked as he came home, ignoring the irritated look from his wife.

"No, it was fun," Kisho automatically replied before he continued trudging his way from the study room to his room.

"Sasuke-"

"I don't want to hear it." Sasuke hated Naruto's everything-is-fine speech just as the blonde hated his did-something-happen-at-school-no-it-was-fun dialogue with their youngest child.

"You won't be hearing it if you stop being so paranoid," Naruto snapped in a low voice.

"If only you'd stopped being so damned trusting."

"Aren't you glad he instantly made friends?" _Unlike me_.

"Not if they would hinder him from being who he could be," Sasuke replied as he followed into their bedroom. He closed the door quietly, ignoring his urge to slam it.

"You still see friends as obstacles?"

He didn't dignify that with a reply.

Soon, both of them were sleeping on their respective side of their bed, filling the space separating them with both said and unsaid words. This sleeping arrangement had been happening a lot lately as both of them were too stubborn to throw away their opinion at the same time obstinate to stop pushing their idea to one another.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

During the annual event of parents coming to the academy to observe how their children are being taught and how they participated, Sasuke was the one who attended.

"Kisho-kun isn't as intelligent as you, ne Sasuke-kun?" the woman beside him commented in fake sympathy. "It's natural for children to also take after their other parent but..." she trailed off almost in a purr as the brunette look at her. He recognized her as one of his former ardent fan girls or if the way she batted her eyelashes she was still his fan girl. He glared at her before turning his attention back to the activity going on.

He watched and observed Kisho's interaction with his friends and their treatment towards the boy and found nothing wrong.

At the end, Sasuke wondered if Naruto was right about him being paranoid. No matter how he looked at the children's interaction with his son, Kisho was treated fairly so why... Damn when did their world become as confusing as that of the adults? Or was it more confusing?

**TBC**

* * *

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado were the names of the elders in during Tsunade's reign. Since that was a long time ago and both of them had been old at that time, I assumed they were dead when Naruto had become rokudaime. I'm sure none of you would mind if I killed them in my fic or is there?

Chapter 43: Miki's belief and her desperate move. It's not what you think, it is.


	43. やらなきゃ事

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read**

**Standard Disclaimer applies.**

**Thanks for the reviews guys. Let's keep going like this. chu.**

* * *

**Chapter 43: Her task**

Miki took a sip of her chocolate drink during her long-awaited short break. She closed her eyes in bliss as its sweetness curled around her taste buds. A moment later, she sighed contently feeling her muscles relax. The scent of coffee hanging over the place and the taste of cocoa always did that to her after making her forget of those long hours of being surrounded with books, scrolls, plants and its essence.

As part of her education and training, Tsunade had sent Miki to the medical research department once a week to assist their projects. In there, she learned, observed and remembered. Whatever knowledge she gained, she tried to apply them on her techniques. As long as she learns; as long as she improves, it didn't matter to her how mind-boggling the projects were or how difficult her tasks were.

Her peaceful break with some of the people she worked with was broken when Eri joined them and wailed. Judging from the way she cried, Miki knew she was having a serious problem. And problems were the thing she didn't want to hear right now as she had enough of them coming from experiments that failed to yield the expected results. But as much as she wanted to stand up and walked away, she couldn't because everybody in the table expected her to stay, listen and give support even with just her presence after all what could a girl of her age give for an advice?

"It's no longer working between us. He no longer loves me," she heard Eri said between sobs.

Miki knew who and what she was talking about. Nobody working in the department didn't know about her fairytale romance with an ANBU member who swept her off her feet and after a whirlwind of courtship married her. Unlike the 'they-live-happily-ever-after' conclusion of fairytales, hers was no longer near that.

"What made you say that?" their head researcher asked.

"He's always busy with his team and missions."

Now why was that familiar to her? Ah... yes, her parents were always busy with their own work too.

"His passion seemed to cool down. He's ignoring me, I tell you."

She didn't know how passionate her parents were with each other. But to her they seemed to lack in that area. They were acting more like friends than the couples she saw in the park or the couples she read in the romantic books her friends lent her. She tensed as one question popped in her mind: _had they agreed to become friends now_?

"We fight a lot now."

Miki frowned. Recently her fathers argued a lot. Worse, most of the time the atmosphere between them was tensed as if they wanted to say something hurtful but held back for some reasons.

She paid more attention to Eri as she continued enumerating other reasons why her marriage was reaching its end. She assessed each of them and crossed out what did not apply on her parents. She was relieved when Eri ended her talk and found no further proof that her parents' marriage was dead. However, she couldn't deny that it was dying. She knew it had to be saved and what opportunity more perfect to implement her plan than their wedding anniversary? That meant she only had three days to come up with a fool-proof plan.

Everybody around the table stared at her when she bolted to her feet.

"You okay?" somebody asked when she noticed that Miki looked paler.

"I, ahh... there's something I need to do," the blond girl replied before she hurriedly left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After making his routine morning rounds on each office in the administration building, Naruto finally made his way towards his office. The second, one of the on-duty ANBU guards on duty opened the door for him, a waft of very familiar scent rushed to his nose. On his desk where papers and scrolls used to lay was a huge bouquet of lavender - the same flowers that had occupied the Uchiha mansion during their wedding reception. Even when there was no card attached he knew who had sent it. He sat on his chair and stared at the gift for a long time with a goofy smile on his face.

The delivery man's skin crawled as he neared the ANBU headquarters. If the administration building was Konoha's symbol for power and stability then the infrastructure in front of him was the village's symbol of strength, secrecy and death.

The bored receptionist looked up when the delivery man entered. The ninja could sense the other's hesitance and wariness obviously expecting another ninja to appear out of nowhere and murder him. He snorted at the man's illogical fear and foolishness but he wasn't the only one. All the civilians were afraid of them and all because the ANBU was made of the strongest, the best... the cream of the crop and also because most of the missions they handled and were handling gave them a bad image.

"May I help you?" he greeted politely which the fearful man took it as 'state your business quickly and get out of my face.'

"I have something for Uchiha-sama," he said quickly, almost choking.

"Which Uchiha?"

"The captain."

The ninja arched an eyebrow in a wry amusement. It seemed fear had started messing up his mind.

Beads of sweat appeared on the poor man's face as he noticed the receptionist looking at him in what he thought as a glare.

"Both of them are captain."

Hearing that, he looked at his delivery list and repeated once more, this time with confidence despite his fear. "I have a delivery for Uchiha Sasuke-sama."

The ninja finally took a glance of the delivery. It was a single red rose in full bloom and entwined around its stem were pink fading to white rose buds. Whoever sent that must have a taste for expensive rose arranged and wrapped in simplicity to bring out elegance and loved the captain very much. Unfortunately like any gift of his admirers that too would end up in the trash can to rot unless if his spouse was around the area. The hokage never failed to pick it up much to the captain's annoyance and when the blonde felt like it, he would send a thank-you card to the sender under his name instead of Sasuke's. Most people thought that it was a way of subtly telling his spouse's admirer that Sasuke was already taken by him. Of course Naruto and subtly didn't go hand in hand but that didn't help them from thinking like that.

"He's attending a meeting right now with the other officers," he said, "leave that to me and I'll give it to him ASAP."

"I need to hand it to him personally because according to my boss that is the hokage's wishes."

The receptionist stood up abruptly, surprising the civilian. "Why didn't you tell earlier?" he asked and immediately left to fetch Sasuke. Although the dark-haired captain didn't say anything, it was painfully obvious that Naruto was and always will be his first priority regardless of time and situations.

Sasuke looked at the bouquet. To others it held no meaning other than as an anniversary gift but to him it was more than that. The red rose came from the blonde's little garden back at their residence and the numbers of rose buds which he was certain came from Yamanaka's flower shop represented the years of their marriage. He let his pointer finger glide through the buds feeling their softness.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"I'm home and I have with me Tai no sashimi," Yuuzuki said.

Miki beamed as her brother presented it to her. The arrangement was perfect and lavishly beautiful just as she wanted it to be. The slices of fish meat were lined between the tail and the head and surrounding it, just on the edges of the ceramic plate were decorations of green and red edible and non-edible things. She was glad that she had an ANBU brother to sweet talked into paying all the things she needed for her plan to work. Of course her three siblings didn't know why she insisted for their parents to celebrate and to celebrate at home and why she was planning a very romantic dinner. Yuuzuki and Akemi thought it was fishy and had refused to help causing the girl to resort to threats. Kisho, on the other hand, caused no problems for her as they were buddies and as long as the task was fun, he'd do it.

Miki tried not to think about the bottle of oyster sauce in one of cupboards as she simmered konbu roll. As much as the idea of emptying the bottle into the pot in front of her, she didn't want to awaken lust as it was just fleeting especially caused by aphrodisiac and she didn't want that. What she wanted was to salvage their parent's marriage by awakening their love through one romantic candle dinner.

"Remind me why we are doing this?" Yuuzuki said between washing kitchen utensils. Must Miki used a lot of cooking utensils when cooking food and baking cake?

"Because…"he paused as he artistically cut the small melon just as his sister asked him to. "If we don't, she'd make sure you'd never be able to eat any sweets and she'll hand my candid baby pictures to all my rabid fangirls."

Having no choice, the two sighed in chorus. Why do they have Miki for a sister? She used to be cute and innocent when she was still under the age of five but now was no longer the case.

"Miki, look what I found?" Kisho announced proudly as he carried dishware. Seeing it, Yuuzuki almost dropped the pot.

"Where did you find those, Kisho?" he asked worriedly. The tableware was only used during those informal luncheon meetings the hokage had with diplomats and village leaders in their house. Other than that, those were stacked somewhere safe and Kisho managed to find it.

"Lovely," Miki said, clapping her hands. "You start wiping them just to make sure they are free from dust and then you can set the table."

"Wait!" The oldest of the four said. "You can't just use that. Chichiue will get mad and we'll get to be punished and not to mention that my punishment will be heavier than yours as I'm the oldest here."

"Stop being such a coward, niisan," Miki said reproachfully. "I'm sure they won't mind."

"Miki…" her brother said in a threatening voice but she ignored it and waved her hand to Kisho telling him to get it on.

"I'm doomed," Yuuzuki murmured as he resumed dishwashing.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Sasuke-teme," a high-pitched cried out, totally breaking the night's silence as Sasuke and other ANBU officials stepped out from their building. Before the brunette could react he found himself glomped but he didn't push Naruto away, causing Shino to say, "don't start anything until you get a room."

"Don't push yourselves too much," Kiba added with a wink.

"For your information, we are going to celebrate with our kids, ne Sasuke/

"Of course."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho made a dash from the window to the dining room and announced between nervous and excited giggle, "they're coming."

Miki stifled the urge to squeal as she hurriedly did some finishing touches of the flowers on the table.

Akemi and Kisho were the first to leave the house through the kitchen back door.

"Hurry up, Miki," Yuuzuki said almost impatiently.

"I'm coming," she replied. She just needed to make sure that everything was perfect. And when she assured herself that it was, she made her way to the door.

Yuuzuki looked at the table just to make sure that everything was okay, although he didn't understand why he had to do just that especially when Miki had already did. Perhaps his sister's perfectionist attitude was rubbing on him already. With quick hand seals, the candles on the table were lit and he silently closed the door.

"We're home!" Naruto announced as they stepped inside the house which was dark despite that their children were there or weren't they?

Sasuke must had felt worried too as he activated his sharingan and started looking around before moving. Nothing was out of place but the area was too silent for his taste. He walked into the living room and had a glimpse of shadows dancing on the wall of the dining room. He made his way there and stopped at the sight in front of him.

"Is there something wrong, Sasuke?" Naruto asked and stopped too as his gaze landed on the table.

The table was arranged for two persons only and was lit with six rose-scented candles. Few rose petals were scattered on the table too as decorations.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said, too touched beyond words and Sasuke could just nod as he felt like choking. Was this the reason why Miki insisted that they should celebrate at home?

He walked forward and noticed a note placed on the side of the table.

_Surprise! You thought we'll celebrate with you guys? Hahaha… _

_Yuu-niisan will be sleeping at Hisayuki-kun's house while the three of us decided to sleep at Uncle Iruka's. You have the place all to yourself, so have fun. _

_The cake is on the ref, you have to get it yourself. Other than that, enjoy and love each other once more._

_-Miki_

"Love each other once more?" Naruto echoed. "What does she meant by that?"

Sasuke shrugged, "Probably some romantic musings. I think her spending too much time with ladies older than her had affected her in more ways than one." But he was smiling as he held a chair for the blonde, "shall we?"

Instead of commenting about his sudden chivalry manner, Naruto remained quiet and sat on the chair. He didn't want to ruin this moment. As much as he didn't understand Miki's reasoning, he knew the girl wanted it to be perfect. **_He_** wanted this night to be perfect.

Sasuke looked at the food preparations. It was great and looked delicious but it couldn't keep his gaze and appetite long. He was more interested in looking at the blonde seated across from him. Was it because of the romantic atmosphere or something else?

"They must have planned it well," Naruto commented as he slipped a mouthful of sekihan into his mouth. He needed to talk because he was nervous. The silence around the place made him awkward. Sasuke's silence made him nervous. Sasuke's stare made him tremble. "Will you please eat now? They won't be happy to know if you'll not do so," he said.

Sasuke's reply was just an arched of his eyebrow and continued staring. He wanted that smiling and cheerful sun under him. Above him Open to him. Without further ado, he silently appeared at the blonde's side.

But that didn't surprise Naruto who turned his head to the side and looked at obsidian eyes that seemed like black liquid fire. Those eyes held desire, love, mystery, secrets and eternity and Naruto leaned closer to take a better look. He wondered if he was inside the tsukiyomi world where seconds in the reality were eternity in the former. Totally in trance, he raised his fingers to trail a delicate path on Sasuke's porcelain skin. His mouth moved to whisper in breathless seduction, "Sasuke…"

It was 'I need you', 'I want you' and 'fuck me' rolled into one word: his name and Sasuke knew that. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against soft pliant ones before he captured them with his own.

Naruto didn't know when and how they managed to arrived in their bedroom and naked on the bed but he didn't give a damn. He looked at Sasuke who was lying on his side and knew that they were about to relive their honeymoon and he didn't mind.

He smiled with the same shyness and anticipation he had during their first night. And he trembled just the same when Sasuke started moving his hands on his skin, touching. Everything was a slow burn but still as heady as any other.

It was really like their first night – inexperienced, innocent, shy, powerful, possessive, rough and desperate. It was madness and glory rolled in one. And when they reached their pinnacle, it was magnificent and they fluttered back towards their bodies.

Naruto closed his eyes as he settled on Sasuke's chest, listening to his erratic heartbeat returning to normalcy. A wicked smile touched his lips as an idea occurred to him. He let few minutes go by before his fingers slyly moved on Sasuke's skin to doodle mindlessly. He grinned as he felt his spouse's breathing hitched and let his hand moved lower and lower until he wrapped it around Sasuke's manhood. He felt it growing harder, bigger, hotter and longer.

"Aren't we kinda bit old to make love now?" Naruto asked as his mouth started following the path his hand took.

"If so, why are you enjoying it?" Sasuke asked between pants as he found himself getting more aroused and needy. He jerked into a sitting position as Naruto drew him into his mouth, surrounding him with wetness and hotness.

Their eyes clashed and Sasuke found breathing harder. To see Naruto like that sucking him made desire roar in his veins. He felt himself coming just at the sight of his blonde and he didn't want this sinful sensation to end, not yet. He wanted to drag it to eternity so he let himself fall on the bed, savoring.

"God, Naruto," he moaned as the other started humming, creating stimulating vibrations. He couldn't help to stop his hips from moving and from bucking. His hands reached down and gripped the head, keeping it steady and his thrusts became jerky and desperate. He opened his legs wider, pulling Naruto closer…closer until his vision burst into myriads of rainbow colors before whiteness covered them.

Naruto swallowed everything he could. Despite that it was Sasuke's second orgasm he had still cum a lot. Had Sasuke prepared for this night just as he did?

He hovered above his husband and answered the almost forgotten question, "Because I'm doing it with Sasuke." The picture he presented made Sasuke saw desire. His face was covered with sheen of sweat, there were drops of the Sasuke's essence as pink dusted his cheeks and saliva and semen were dripping from the side of his mouth. If that wasn't enough, he was licking his semen-covered fingers dry. He was so damned fuckable that Sasuke thought he'd be damned if he won't do something about it.

He pounced on Naruto and kissed him hard. The blonde responded and pressed closer to rub his erection against Sasuke's groin. This was no longer a slow burn. Flashes of pleasure erupted in places where Sasuke's hands and mouth pressed. Naruto moaned deeply as that wicked mouth feasted on his nipples, sucking and biting.

He was floating in the dark surface of passion and waves of lust hitting him as Sasuke expertly ravaged his body and he saw a glimpse of pure bliss as the dark-haired man gave his erection one long lick from tip to base.

"More," he demanded. He wanted to be engulfed by the familiar insanity Sasuke always created between them. He opened his legs wider to accommodate Sasuke, raised his hips as he felt the tip of his length. He cried out in pleasure when he was filled to the brim as he and Sasuke melted into one perfect circle of moving desire and pleasure.

He sat on Sasuke's thighs, his back pressed intimately against Sasuke's. He threw his head back as Sasuke's dip forward to give him another mark. His hand snaked around and settled on the mop of black hair, pushing him silently asking him to suck deeper.

"Sasuke, take me now," he whispered between nibbles of his earlobe.

Wordlessly, Sasuke pushed him on fours and kneeled behind him. He pulled out completely, changed his angle and slammed back, touching that bundle of erogenous nerves that made Naruto cried out loudly.

Unable to stop the sounds from coming from his mouth, he pressed his face against the bed, unintentionally rising his hips higher.

"Don't hold back the sounds, Naruto. They are mine. I deserved them," Sasuke said in a husky voice, trying to fight the pleasure clawing on him. He continued with his pace until Naruto cried out to love him deeper, harder and faster.

"Sasuke-nnn.. Sasuke..nnghh," he wanted to say something but those were the only words his lust-filled mind could come up. Liquid heat was gathering in the pit of his stomach quickly, rising up to fill him. He felt like he was evaporating to mist as wave after wave of pleasure crashed against him. He felt himself being tossed. He moved harder, pulling Sasuke's length deeper, wanting to take his husband where he was being swept away.

"Naruto" Sasuke murmured as he skimmed his lips against his sweat-covered back and grazed it with his even teeth. His eyes were now clenched tight, letting go of everything until he was moving in pure instinct.

They both cried out as they reached their completion as everything they did engulfed them and burst within and without them.

When they had enough rest, they decided to take a shower where Naruto discovered what it was like to be leisurely ravished under the hot beating spray of the shower. It was beyond words.

When they thought their passion had cool down, they went back to the dining room. Before they could touch the food, Sasuke had pushed Naruto on the table and plundered him sweetly. Naruto couldn't say 'no'. Even if he could, he wouldn't. He wanted Sasuke. He needed him. Always.

In retaliation, the latter pushed the former into the chair, straddled him and showed him how heavenly skillful his mouth and hands were and how his body could be the perfect sex toy in the world. To Sasuke, it was because he loved him. Forever.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It was almost noon when the Uchiha siblings arrived home the next day.

"Welcome home," Sasuke said as they walked into the living room. Just then Naruto joined them. Miki's sharp and observant eyes looked at her parents and found no changes between them. Where did her planning go wrong? Would it have been better if she used the oyster sauce? Where did she go wrong?

Despite her sharpness and exposure to slightly mature romantic stuffs, she was still naive. If only she could see the hickeys and bitemarks that littered on Naruto's shoulders, chest and inner thighs she would have leaped with joy.

"It must have been fun without us, ne?" she asked innocently.

"No," Sasuke replied. "We just talked, ate your delicious food and sleep." It wasn't a lie. He just left the details Miki wanted to hear so badly.

"You guys are boring," she muttered torn between being disgusted or frustrated.

"You're reading too much romance novels," Akemi stated.

_You're too naive_, Yuuzuki thought. Well, he'd believe it too if Jiraiya didn't fill him in with few things his parents did. It had been an unwanted information and had made him ran away from Jiraiya screaming.

"For what you did, otousan and I decided to do whatever you guys want to do- shopping, training... anything."

They grinned.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

She tossed on her bed, trying to ignore the discomfort caused by her parched throat. Unable to endure it anymore, she got out from her bed.

As she was about to take the hallway that would take her to the kitchen, she noticed the strip of light from her parents' room flooding the hallway and she could hear hushed voices talking about work. Frowning, she changed her direction. Guiltily, she took a peek from the gap between the door and the jamb. She saw Naruto sitting on the edge of the bed while toweling Sasuke's hair dry. Sasuke, on the other hand, was sitting on the floor and between Naruto's legs while his arms were draped over the blonde's thighs. They looked intimate despite their topic. Miki remembered her otousan's answer to her innocent but insistent question of what Naruto was to him earlier that day.

_My best friend._

And no doubt they really were.

_My rival._

Whatever reply her chichiue leaned down to whisper to her otousan, the latter didn't like it because he grappled and tossed the former forward.

"That hurts you bastard," Naruto said after he landed on the floor. He tried to grab Sasuke but he had already moved out of his reach. Naruto stood up and glared at the smirking man.

"You'll pay for that."

"That's already a very old threat, dobe and yet you haven't made me."

"Until now."

Sasuke arrogantly spread his arms in mocking surrender. "Go ahead. I'm unarmed and I won't resist."

_My everything._

Naruto moved forward but instead of hitting the other man as the girl expected, he stopped few centimeters away from Sasuke and looked up to say, "unarmed and willing, eh? Tempting."

Sasuke snorted.

Standing near the window were the soft moonlight filtered through and bath them, the two stood, gazing at each other as Sasuke's arms wrap around his prey and predator.

Miki watched in excitement and glee as two silhouettes outlined by moonlight connected and the two shadows overlapped into one. Watching the romantic scene, how her otousan was holding her chichiue and how they were kissing each other, she realized that she was stupid. Contrary to her belief, there was no threat and that their marriage wasn't dying.

As much as she wanted to continue watching, she was aware that she was intruding a private moment so with sheer will she wrenched her gaze from her parents and walked away.

Slowly but surely she was coming to understand Sasuke and Naruto's relationship. Theirs couldn't be judge by using the criteria applicable to others' relationships because theirs wasn't ordinary by all means. Their love had stemmed from rivalry and friendship and weathered through abandonment, betrayal and pain. Their relationship had morphed into something more wonderful at the same time retained its previous forms and thus aside from being a couple they were still rivals and best friends.

**TBC**

* * *

In your opinion, is it too old to make love when they are in their late 30's and had been married for almost 20 years or so?

Tai no sashimi is sea bream dish for celebration while sekihan is red-bean rice also for celebration.


	44. お帰りなさい、兄貴

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read**

**Standard disclaimer applies.**

**Your feedback on the question I asked in the bottom of the last chapter assures that me that it was more than okay for the two to still go at it despite their situation. Thank you. To all 'anonymous' reviewers: I'm glad to hear from you.**

**narutobrat260: I can't send email to you. They were being bounced back.**

**Sorakitty: It's been awhile since I heard from you.**

* * *

Chapter 44: Embracing the past

_Slowly and comfortably he emerged from the depth of his dream to the surface of his consciousness. He stretched leisurely, giving his mother plenty of time to prepare a special meal for. By the time he'd get down to the dining room, everything would be ready and his mother would be greeting him a 'happy birthday' and his aniki would be there also to give him his morning birthday gift. The only person who wouldn't be there would be his father. To his otousan, his birthday wasn't important... never important as Itachi's. He still felt disturbed and disappointed by this but his aniki and okaasan would make up for it. Always._

"_Happy birthday, Sasuke," Mikoto and Itachi greeted together the moment the youngest Uchiha joined them. His mother was smiling and his brother, despite that his face was emotionless his eyes were affectionately soft. _

_Sasuke's grin widened as Itachi handed him a gift. He didn't know what was inside as it was always a surprise. All he knew was that like any of his gifts, they were useful and wanted. Itachi knew what he wanted, needed and liked and he felt special._

With sheer will, Sasuke woke himself up from his dream as if it was a nightmare instead of one of the memories he used to cherish. He had buried all of his memories of Itachi in the deepest recesses of his mind and they would leak out and manifest into a dream only once a year- Itachi's birthday and he hated it as much as he hated that man. Even if he had killed Itachi and had revived his clan with his Naruto, hatred and anger still remained, totally lodged deep in his heart.

He went to the kitchen to grab some breakfast before he'd go out to train. There was just no way in hell that he would spend his rest day inside the house plagued by memories of the traitor. Besides, he needed to leave before the bright colors of happiness he and his family created would be washed away by the bitter past that haunted the place.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke growled in frustration as he finally accepted the fact that his body wasn't interested in training and was only half cooperating with his mind. He grabbed his things and decided to visit his family grave. On his way, he bought a bucket of flowers and a bottle of sake which he would pour on the large gravestone where the Uchiha symbol and the names of all Uchiha members who perished were engraved.

Mesmerized, he watched the liquid sparkling under the sunlight as it streamed down the marble gravestone, wetting it. He watched unblinkingly until his eyes burned and watered. He tore his gaze away and it accidentally landed on the place he had been avoiding like a plague.

On the farthest corner of Konoha's necropolis and totally hidden from view was one grave. There was no epitaph to give information about the man buried. There was just an ordinary stone as its mark. The whole image gave the impression that the man buried there was an outsider, a wanderer or perhaps an outcast?

Sasuke wasn't known to be dictated by his impulses and yet he let himself be brought to that place. Standing there, the memory of his last meeting with the traitor came back to him not as flashes but as a whole, scene after scene.

_Sasuke swallowed back the lump of tears of frustration and fear as he sped past tree after tree. He felt that no matter how much chakra he applied to his legs to increase his speed, it wasn't enough. It could never be enough because every second was precious to him. Every ticked of the clock meant life or death to Naruto. His precious person. His secret love._

_He hadn't gotten the details on how Naruto was kidnapped by Akatsuki because the second he heard it, he immediately disappeared from Tsunade's office, leaving the rest of the rescue team. He couldn't bring himself to stand and listen, not when Akatsuki meant Itachi who in turn meant death._

_He reached the clearing of some godforsaken place and stopped as the traitor's back came to his view._

_Itachi turned his back to regard his remaining family member. He smirked as he noticed the scary angry scowl on his face. He wondered how far that scowl would deepen if he saw Naruto._

"_He's still beautiful even when mentally exhausted and tied, ne?" he said as he tilted his head to where Naruto was._

_Sasuke warily shifted his gaze and saw Naruto. The blonde was bound to a sturdy tree branch by his wrist with the thin wire digging into his skin. He must have struggled a lot as there were cakes of dried blood on the area and the area near it. Worse, his face had the signs of someone who had experienced the mangenkyou sharingan._

"_Such an impressive lad. He's the only one who had stood against the magenkyou sharingan the longest," Itachi continued. Judging by the inflection of his tone, he certainly enjoyed inflicting pain on the blond jinchuuriki. That sadistic asshole of a traitor!_

"_If you want to avenge your useless clan, do it now because I don't have much time to play your silly game. I need to bring him to our place."_

"_As if I'd let you," Sasuke snapped back. No, he couldn't. Absolutely wouldn't let Itachi take his only remaining light. Never._

_Itachi smirked mockingly._

_In a blink of an eye, Sasuke vanished from his spot and appeared in front of the older Uchiha in a full-fledged attack. And then they were just a blur of black wind clashing fiercely, getting away from each other and chasing each other briefly. Once in a while, drops of blood flew from them tainting the ground in its animosity, anger and pain. Their sharingan were blazing to life as the tomoes whirled around in a controlled frenzy. Both of them trying to read each other's moves and trying to be one step ahead of the other._

_To Sasuke, all the things he learned from his previous battles, fights, spars and training were for this moment alone. This clash wasn't to avenge his clan only but also to save the only person who gave another meaning, aside from revenge to his existence._

_In his exhilaration caused by this confrontation, his surroundings blotted to blackness and nothingness until it was just the two of them, their skills, their techniques and the ties that drew and separated them._

_And then Sasuke found himself in a landscape painted and covered in different hues of red. Amidst it all was Naruto's body. It shook him to the core to see the blonde's body decomposing and decaying but even then, haunting and accusing blue eyes were trained on him. He knew it was an illusion and it was going to get worse and nerve-wrecking from then on. He had to break free before that happens. Unhesitatingly, he plunged the kunai into his thigh, twisted then pulled it. In a blink of an eye, he returned to reality and leaped back away from **that** man._

_Inwardly, Itachi looked surprised that Sasuke broke free from his illusion effortlessly and not slightly shaken. However, a small voice in his head told him that he shouldn't be because Sasuke was no longer the eight-year-old boy who seeks their father's attention and approval. He had grown to be a force to be reckoned with except that it was too late and nothing compared to what his otouto would have achieved if he stop minding their otousan's cool treatment. _

_A small part of Itachi was jealous of the attention on Sasuke or lack thereof. Sometimes his thoughts would run along the lines of what-ifs. If he had the kind of attention his brother had, he'd be stronger than what he was as he would seek power and strength rather than someone's approval. He was certain he'd do that rather than putting on the mask of a worthy Uchiha heir and settling himself in a container molded by the clan's interests and ideals until he grew restless and disgusted._

_Naruto's deep and almost inaudible groan broke the tensed and pregnant silence that hung between brothers. Sasuke moved towards the blonde then twisted his body as three kunai approached him. One of them grazed his cheek. He thought the traitor was insulted with his action until he saw the other man's mocking eyes._

"_You're still weak, I see," Itachi commented in disappointment._

"_Because you're taking away my strength," Sasuke retorted matter-of-factly which caused the older Uchiha to arch an eyebrow. Was his brother that cheesy?_

"_Ridiculous! You're just being painfully dependent on someone."_

"_You told me to be stronger so I could kill you. Well, I'll show what strength I achieved!"_

_And then the world bleed crimson as the two siblings blended together once more as clashing forces, always pushing and never yielding._

_When their chakra had reached its lowest level, they resorted to taijutsu. But their attacks and blocks were no longer as powerful as before. They were close to being lame yet they couldn't stop as such deed would mean defeat and death. The only thing that kept them from quitting was Itachi's pride and Sasuke's determination._

_In the darkest hour of despair, something came to Sasuke like a beacon of light. It was now or never. He didn't have time to pay attention to pain as Itachi's kunai skewered his left side. He didn't have the time to because he was gripping Itachi's shoulder tightly while he raised his left leg for a kick. Beneath his moving leg, his other hand moved and lodged the kunai into the traitor's chest._

_It took the older man by surprise, never realizing that the kick was a diversion until it was too late. Blood trickled from his mouth and dripped to the ground._

"_This is your strength, eh? I had probably gone weak," Itachi commented between coughs of blood. In a disapproving voice, he continued, "you're foolish to fall in love with someone who'd never return your feelings."_

_The younger Uchiha shook his head more so to shake off the fuzziness rather than to deny the statement. "I'm content to be by his side," he replied._

_Almost-empty obsidian eyes stared at him knowingly, "Even if you say that, you'd never be satisfied. Never."_

_Sasuke hated the finality in that weakening voice and hated even more that he said that when he no longer knew about him. "You know nothing about me!"_

_Why were they talking about his love life anyway? Was Itachi trying to make up for all those years of his absence as his aniki? Not a chance. Or was there? Despite his doubts, a tiny part of him was enjoying the familiar at the same time strange brotherly conversation between them._

"_You're predictable and you're foolish that way," Itachi replied in an almost fond way and he poked Sasuke's head just as he used to a long time ago. And then he was falling forward, towards Sasuke whose arms impulsively moved to catch him. With his mouth pressed close to his otouto's ear, he whispered, "thank you for ending all of this, otouto."_

_Sasuke slumped to the ground taking Itachi with. He laid him on the soil and stared at his corpse. He felt confused. Not only did Itachi called him 'otouto' instead of 'orokana otouto', he thanked him. What did he meant by that? Had Itachi grown tired of his life? Or had he meant-_

"_Sasuke..."came Naruto's voice behind him. He whipped his head around, surprised. _

_Naruto managed to free himself from his binds and he was kneeling in front of his precious person, touching him to make sure he was alive. The brother clash he had seen had disturbed him more than the illusion Itachi plunged him into._

_The other ninja didn't mind if he'd bleed to death as long as his love was touching him and as long he could his warmth. As he was slipping towards somewhere beyond, Sasuke was about to ask Naruto if he could die together with him on that moment when the blonde leaned forward. _

_With lips lightly brushing against his ear, Naruto whispered, "Don't leave me again, Sasuke." It was both a plea and an order. And Sasuke forced his eyes open and clung to the last shreds of his consciousness._

_When the rescue team composed of the rest of the rookie nine, Team Gai and a hunter-nin they found both ninjas leaning against each other in front of Itachi's corpse. Even when Sakura attended Sasuke's wounds, he didn't let go of Naruto's hand. His grip tightened more when he watched the hunter-nin burned Itachi's corpse. Finally, it was over. He didn't know whether to feel sad or happy with the conclusion but at least, he could begin with a new chapter of his life. _

_Begin..._

_He looked at Naruto who gave him a reassuring smile and realized Itachi was right all along- loving Naruto silently wouldn't satisfy him. He would want more; would want everything of the sun until he was nothing but scattered embers. _

"_Sasuke?" Kakashi said as he placed his hand on his shoulder, "let's head back to Konoha."_

"_I want his ashes," he managed to say before he fell in the arms of oblivion, dreaming of how Konoha now took the shape of Naruto instead of just a village where he came from._

Sasuke crouched down and brushed the soil, "I'm ending all of this too."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It was always rare for Naruto to arrive earlier than his kids so he wasn't used to finding the house quiet and empty. In a way, it unnerved him a bit. On his way to the kitchen, from the corner of his eye, he saw Sasuke in the room where the family altar was. As he approached the place, he could smell wafts of incense candle burning. His gaze fleeted to the altar and stopped.

Instead of seeing four slender wooden blocks that carried his and Sasuke's parents' name, he saw another one and on it, Itachi's name was written. Not only that, hanging on the wall together with their parents' pictures was Itachi's, not as the traitor but as a caring brother.

Knowing Sasuke, Naruto knew he has a reason for this. Besides, he didn't mind that Itachi now had a place in the altar not because being the head of the family, Sasuke had the last say of who gets a place at the altar but because he couldn't deny that Itachi had been a good brother who tried to fill the void caused by Fugaku's absence in Sasuke's life.

He smiled as he briefly looked at his husband who was sleeping peacefully despite that he was sitting against the wall in an uncomfortable position in Naruto's opinion. Not wanting to disturb his spouse, he slowly made his way towards the door. As he passed him by, Sasuke's hand shot out to hold his wrist.

"I hope you don't mind that I-"

"I don't," Naruto said. He thought it was fitting for Itachi to go back to his roots.

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak to make the blonde understand that this way the only way to end what Itachi had started. It was his responsibility as a son and brother to bring him to their parents just as it was his obligation as a survivor to seek vengeance. He deemed it as the best way to erase the hatred and anger that remained in him. Despite what Itachi had become the ties that bound them was inerasable. By bringing him home, Sasuke was slowly embracing everything about Itachi. Sure, the eight-year-old boy in him still didn't understand everything that happened back then but he was man enough to accept what couldn't be change; to accept and embraced his bloody past.

"Aniki..."he paused. It felt strangely good to call him that instead of 'that man', 'traitor', 'asshole' or 'Itachi'.

"You don't have to explain anything," Naruto said and pressed his lips against the other man's forehead.

"Hn." Then Sasuke dozed off again.

_Sasuke sat on the genkan patiently waiting while a slight pout was making to his face. He wondered if their plans for today would push through when the front door slid open. Standing on the door with his back to the dying sun with his silhouette being illuminated by light was his aniki._

"_I'm home, Sasuke," Itachi said in his usual quiet voice._

_The younger Uchiha was grinning from ear to ear._

"_Welcome home, aniki."_

Naruto smiled softly as he heard the gently whispered greeting that slipped past his sleeping husband's lips.

"Welcome home, aniki."

**TBC**

* * *

Hmm... what can I say? Migraine stops me from thinking and I could barely edit this chapter so sorry if there are more mistakes than the previous chapters.


	45. 激怒！彼女の勇気

**Same warning applies.**

**Standard disclaimer applies.**

* * *

**Chapter 45: Greens of courage**

Miki stifled the urge to flee as pairs of eyes stared at her when she entered the classroom where graduating students were waiting. Everybody knew her as the only daughter of the hokage and someone who wasn't enrolled in the academy so why was she here?

Unlike the teachers and exam proctors, they didn't know that Miki was one of the very rare cases of children never enrolled at the academy but studied under someone's tutelage and took exams just to get the Konoha hitae-ate.

She looked around for empty seats and found none until someone, a boy no less, stood up and offered her a seat. Suddenly, the curious stares from all the girls in the room became hostile looks.

_What's their problem?_

Smiling, she looked at the boy and said, "Thanks, ah…"

"Kazuo... Fujita, Kazuo," the boy replied with a bright smile that made his fan girls' heart melt.

"Thanks, Kazuo," and she sat. It was then that she realized she was surrounded by boys who were looking at her in a too friendly manner.

_Please get the exam to start now before something bad will happen to them._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki looked smug when she arrived home, wearing the village hitae-ate around her torso.

"What do you think, Kisho? Does it look good in me?"

The boy smiled positively and reached up to glide his fingers over the engraved symbol when his sister grabbed his hand and shook her head.

"I don't want any fingerprints on the metal plate," she explained causing disappointment to flicker in his dark eyes. Trying to make up for her refusal, she offered, "Let's get some cookies, shall we?"

**-SasuNaru is love-**

She, Kazuo and Shuu composed Team two and fortunately, they got along fine. Unfortunately, their jounin teacher was none other than Mao, a jounin who rivaled Ibiki's cruelty and Anko's sadism. A shiver of fear ran along their spine as predatory eyes locked in on them.

"I know who you really are," she said, her voice like a whip slashing the suddenly tensed atmosphere, "and you are all wearing masks. I'll look forward in peeling your masks one by one until I can see what you're made off." With that she left the room but the three of them knew they were asked, no, ordered silently to follow.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

If there was another useful purpose for clones other than to divert enemies then it must be to do different tasks at different places at the same time, Miki thought. While she spent most of her time slaving around Konoha for both C and D missions and following Mao's training regimen which was more likely to kill team two rather than make them stronger, she still had to report to the research department for few more months and continue learning under Tsunade. She felt that she was getting as old as her medic-nin teacher with all these pressures and stress. But she knew, she had to endure everything for the sake of ultimate goal- to surpass Tsunade. As she learned and discovered more, her trivial wish to be strong to protect herself from perverts had morphed into something better and more meaningful.

"You're lagging behind," a voice suddenly whispered causing her to jump and whipped her head around to glare at that person. It was just Mao who was looking at the vines that had entwined along her arms in reaction to her momentary panic.

"Hm... Interesting weapon," she said so quietly it was almost a whisper. "You better hurry along now or you'd be running around Konoha for the next hour." But she was more worried of her student not getting punished rather than the opposite. Miki knew this and increased her speed.

The jounin watched the female Uchiha. Among all the students she handled, the one she wanted to destroy the most was her blond student. She wanted to make her as her masterpiece as she was her teacher's. Somehow, she saw herself in Miki and she wanted to bring out the best of her by breaking her just as her teacher broke her. She firmly believed in her teacher's words that destruction was necessary for evolution. It didn't matter that the girl would despise her. She was ready for her hatred just as her teacher was for hers.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

One day, Miki came to Tsunade's office crying and mentioning abuse. However, Tsunade knew that Mao was always known for her extreme training that bordered near maltreatment.

"Do you want to quit?" she asked.

She wanted to say 'yes' but the word was stuck in her throat refusing to slip past her mouth. Her Uchiha and Uzumaki pride won't let her.

"If you quit, this episode would haunt you forever and would stop you from reaching your dreams." The girl quickly wiped her face dry. "I'll continue and prove myself to her," she said between sobs.

Tsunade smiled approvingly and motioned for her to sit on her couch. When the young blonde did, the older woman brushed her chakra-charged hands on the right contact areas. Miki snapped her gaze towards her in silent inquiry.

"Let's cancel today's class so you could rest," she explained. "Goodnight, Miki."

Tsunade watched her sleeping form and chuckled in amusement. Her passion to prove herself and her determination to grow stronger reminded her of Naruto and Sasuke in their younger days.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

In her angry irritation, Mao seemed to breathe fire as she saw eight figures up ahead waiting for her and her team. She wondered what the scroll they need to deliver was that there were a lot of groups who wanted it. In fact, within two days they had engaged in skirmishes thrice and deviated from their original path twice to avoid more confrontation. If they'd fight or stray again they'd be late in handing the scroll over to the recipient who happened to be a powerful elitist. If that happens, the prominent woman would be suspicious and would assume incompetence on their part. From there, ruining Konoha's reputation would be a short trip. The only way to avoid such outcome was to fight at the same time continue moving.

"Guys, take the path fifteen degrees from your left. I'll join you in..." she paused to assess her would be enemies, "forty minutes tops. Now go!"

Team two's first two missions outside the village had been boring that they shared one wish and that was to have a thrilling mission. Their prayer had been answered through their third mission but whoever the god was who granted their wish he had been too accommodating to the point of being a sadist for giving them too much trouble.

They jumped sideward as few ninjas dropped from above them and slashed the branches where they had been standing a second ago.

Miki readied to attack or defend when her two teammates blocked her view.

"Go ahead, Miki," Kazuon said over his shoulder. "Shuu-kun and I will take them out and then we'll join you."

The girl nodded and left. A kunoichi was about to pursue her when Shuu's wire coiled around her feet, "your opponent is us."

Miki sighed as another kunai missed her by hairsbreadth. She need not duck or evade the kunai as the man's aim was pathetic. And he dared to attack her? What a fool!

Instead of sparing an effort to engage a fight against the man she decided to focus on crossing the border. She frowned as her vision doubled then tripled. She stumbled as she tripped over a jutting thick root. She knew her body would move to gain her balance out of reflex but it didn't and she knew immediately why. Her muscles were relax and her eyelids were getting heavy. She had been sedated but how?

With sleepy eyes she looked at her enemy hovering over her.

"My kunais aren't ordinary. They're coated with odorless sleep-inducing smell of which my fellows are immune of."

He watched as realization dawned on her pretty face. "Yes, my little one, I missed you purposely."

_Miki, you big stupid fool_ ! was her thought before darkness and sleep heavily settled upon her.

The man smirked. He took the scroll and was about to leave when he changed his mind. The girl would serve some purpose for his group he thought and picked her up never paying attention to her hitae-ate that fell to the ground with a soft clank.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shuu's gaze met his best friend's as they finally defeated their enemies. They were worn out but they knew they couldn't rest. They had to catch up with Miki. Knowing, their female teammate, they looked at the plants and trees for any clue of her direction. He smiled as he noticed the subtle slanting of the weeds, pointing towards their left.

"Here's our first clue," he said, getting Kazuo's attention.

After following the trail, they reached the spot where Miki had stumbled. They cursed as they saw her hitae-ate. They immediately searched for blood but found none. Kazuo looked at his right and found his friend sleeping soundly.

"Hey! This isn't the right time..." he didn't get to finish his statement as he slumped to the ground soundly sleeping.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A soft groan came from the back of her throat as she slowly gained consciously. Her muscles where still to relax and her hands were tightly chained against the wall but... She grinned as vines started snaking upwards to free her and when they did she took a vial from her pouch. It contained a yellowish liquid which was an all-purpose antidote.

She drank it and waited few seconds for it to take effect. Just then a man and woman entered the room and strode forward. She let her vines whipped the man to unconsciousness while she quickly moved to the woman who was about to shout out an alarm.

The two crashed to the ground with the blonde straddling the brunette. The latter was strong enough to throw her off and with a scream-

She paused as she realized that no sound came from her throat. She looked at the smirking prisoner.

"Never underestimate the student of a legendary medic-nin," she said haughtily. "I tampered your voice box".

The older woman then remembered that as they were falling to the ground, she had felt the girl's fingers brushing against her throat softly. She let her anger be shown in her eyes with her previous killing intent doubled. She would kill her slowly. She moved her hand to grab her weapon.

What the?Why did her leg moved instead of her hand?

"I also tampered your locomotors and body coordination," she informed her as an afterthought before rendering the enrage woman unconscious.

Miki need not worry what would happen if she wakes up because when she does, a painful headache would b there and she would be too busy vomiting to run after her that is if she was still there. Now, it was time to get the scroll back and complete there mission, she reminded herself.

As she ran across the maze like subterranean pathway, she ducked to save her head being a cushion for kunai and shuriken. She turned and a cat-like smile graced her lips.

"I was looking for you," she said as her gaze fell on her captor. "I won't fall for your trick the second time."

Kei gave a low whistle and his remaining subordinates appeared. His eyes bulged as vines emerged not only from her body but also from the ground. He cod hear the screams of his men; watched as their weapons and techniques became useless.

How could it be? When he saw how she fought at the forest, he knew the place was her perfect battlefield. So when he brought her with him, he knew he needed to take a precaution. And he did.

Instead of imprisoning her at their hideout in the forest, he had brought he back in their lair located at the barren part. However, how come she could still summon plants? Was this some bloodline limit?

He couldn't help but shiver as he realized he was the only enemy standing. The wild predatory look in her face and the way she fought made him think that she belonged in the wilderness.

"How?"

In reply, Miki showed a small seed, holding it between her pointer finger and thumb. Then she let it grow, "with my chakra, I could make any plants grow regardless of my place. The forest is just the most convenient place for me."

She yelped more in surprise than in pain as a small explosion happened near her neck. She would have been injured if not for her vines that immediately moved to protect her.

"This is my ace," Kei announced smugly. He had taken the girl's explanation time to prepare for his ultimate attack – the fire triangle. "The air is now contaminated with combustible and explosive particles sensitive to my chakra. Directing my chakra to any area that I want I could ignite it with a snap of my fingers."

Miki's mind refused the dread and helplessness settling within her. Her muscles were now tensed, not to fight but to flee. But to where? The facial expression of the bastard told her she had no place to run much less hide. She could make her vines cocoon around her but unlike her Uncle Gaara's ultimate defense, hers wasn't vacuum. As long as there was oxygen, the man could even ignite the area inside her shell.

She quickly made a mental note to improve her defense barrier to her uncle's level but for the meantime she needed to win the battle but how?

She leaned to her left just as another explosion ripped the place where her head was.

The man kept on snapping his fingers but with her vines protecting her, he could only graze her skin from the impact.

Miki twisted her body in the air at the same time felt sorry for her dismembered and burnt vines. As she landed on the ground, she heard a squishing sound as she stepped on something. She quickly looked down and like a bolt of lightning, a realization struck her. However, she had no time to gloat as she leaned back to save her chest.

Knowing it was futile to kill her with her stupid plants protecting her, Kei changed his tactic from immediate annihilation to consuming her chakra. He chuckled as one explosion caused few rips on her Capri pants. Almost there, he told himself as he noticed that she was panting heavily.

"Die," he shouted as she finally fell on fours. But before he could snap his fingers, he felt himself being roughly raised and his limbs pulled towards different directions. He looked at her binds and saw nothing but green.

Miki smiled as she watched her opponent suspended in the air, his face torn in pain. Her plants' gripped was tight rendering him immobile. He won't be snapping his fingers as long as he was her prisoner.

The man looked down and saw her body being outlined by a red aura and she now emitted a ferocity that made coldness run down his spine. Her eyes were now crimson that seemed to crave for blood and murder. Was this the girl he had kidnapped hours ago? Was this the same girl who was panting a moment ago looking helpless and exhausted? Or was that just an illusion? Because the girl who was standing in front of him looked none of those.

"Your flame burnt only the exterior part of my vines and with my chakra, I infused the seeds into them" she explained. It really pays to train with strongest people, she thought. "Now, time for actions," she said with a soft smile touching her lips.

Kei yelped as he was pulled to his right. His gaze fell on the biggest and most beautiful flower he had ever seen. However, his appreciation disappeared instantly as the petals opened to reveal filaments and style waving in anticipation as noozle-shaped anthers and stigma snapped their jaws revealing their sharp teeth. Worse, the inside of the petals were full of thorns. Even from his distance, he could smell the acrid and acidic scent. Never in his life did he imagine he would be eaten by a mutated and hideous monster plant. It was such a humiliation. He began struggling as pleading noises started spilling from his trembling lips.

"Don't worry, you won't be eaten. I'm not that violent," she assured him. "It will only suck all your chakra."

This time, Kei was no longer imagining the malice in her voice and he concluded that the girl in front of her was a she devil, beautiful but deadly just like her pet.

"You're the first one to see this and you're its first victim."

"Like that is an honor," he managed to snap between his futile struggling. He doubled his efforts when he was lowered on the eager and soft-as-silk petals. As satiny as the petals were, they plastered themselves to their victim as tightly as the strongest adhesive, preventing him from moving. And the scent he smelt was replaced by something sweet which encouraged his mind to conjure images he wanted to see.

A second later, he had a silly grin on his face, oblivious that his chakra was being drained by the anthers and stigma. He died in a delusional bliss.

Now that it had served its purpose, the plant also died but not before bowing to its mistress. Knowing it was over Miki returned to her usual charming self and sighed in relief. She checked herself for any injuries and found them gone. They were already healed because she was a fast healer just like her siblings and her chichiue.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Mao reached the place where her two students were sleeping, the air was already weakly contaminated that it no longer had effects on her. She walked them up.

"Sensei?" Shuu blinked sleepy and rolled to his feet. "Miki! We need to save her. She's captured."

She summoned her hounds and ordered them to trace Miki's scent. They followed the summoned animals while hoping that they weren't too late. They landed on the ground and jumped backward just in time to miss the deadly thorns thrown at them.

Realizing that it was her comrades, Miki stepped out from the boulder where she was hiding. "Sorry about that," she said.

"Miki!" her two teammates chorused as they scrambled towards her.

"Are you okay?

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," she replied, "I'm sorry to make you worry. I got the scroll back. Let's deliver it together as planned." Although she wanted to hug both guys and tell them how scared she was, she didn't want Mao to see her breaking down. No way! So she didn't.

"What do you think of my get-up?" she asked. Showing off the stitches she did with her clothes using some thin vines.

"You look… ah…" Kazuo was supposed to say 'weird' but Shuu and Miki gave him a warning look. How come those two always agreed when it comes to fashion? "You look great as usual."

"You look adorable and perfect," Shuu exclaimed.

Mao placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. She wanted to make sure her subordinate was fine at the same time wanted to see her new dents and cracks and how deep and wide they were. But what she found when Miki looked at her squarely was infuriatingly arrogance associated with Uzumaki-Uchiha children. Her steady blue eyes were as if challenging and mocking her at the same.

_Break me if you can_.

Mao chuckled. Her mission had now been turned as a game and she was looking forward to that moment when Miki would be absolutely shattered by her hands like a mirror.

**TBC**

* * *

It's all about Miki but not to worry, next chapter will be SasuNaru goodies. 


	46. 愛の理由

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read**

**Naruto belongs to no one else's but him. coughs**

**

* * *

****Chapter 46: The reason **** to love**"Yuichi-san?" Naruto said in surprised as he saw the man leaning on the wall of some alley. "Shouldn't you be in the council room for your wedding?" 

"It will start fifteen minutes from now."

The blonde grinned, "You don't want to be late, do you?"

The midnight blue-haired guy shook his head, "No, I don't but I need to talk with you."

"Do you still feel bad that I can't officiate your marriage? As much as I want to, my schedule won't permit it."

Yuichi moved towards him slowly but purposely. "Honestly, I don't want you to be present in my wedding whether as an official or a guest as it would make things harder for me."

Naruto looked surprised and hurt. Yuichi had been one of his best subordinates or perhaps was or had never been. It was just probably an act and he was good. In fact perfect as he made him completely believed that he liked him. He looked away, his head lowered. "I'm sorry. I assumed-"

"You assumed wrong," the other man replied then gripped his wrist to stop the blond from walking away.

"What are you doing?" Naruto hissed in shock and confusion when Yuichi pushed him against a wall.

"I want you to listen to me not as my superior but as you, as the one I loved, no, love for almost fifteen years and will continue to love."

Naruto's jaw almost dropped open, making Yuichi chuckle in constant admiration.

"Sasuke won't like-"

"You always think about him." It was an accusation at the same time observation.

"I always do since I was eight," he said in a pride that made the dark-haired man's heart twitched in pain. But Naruto couldn't lie. The first time he had thought about Sasuke, it was when he had lost his smile over night.

"He doesn't deserve anything especially that he abandoned you," he pointed out matter-of-factly.

The blond man scowled at that then replied in cold voice, "But he came back and that counted a lot. At least to me."

"Because that snake traitor didn't have enough power to make him stay."

"What are you trying to say?" he snapped. But there was a ripple of fear that occurred deep within him. Could it be that Sasuke only wanted him; loved him for the power Kyuubi had given him?

Instead of answering the question, Yuichi settled for "Act upon your wishes. I could cancel-"

Naruto punched him, "Sasuke. He's my wishes, my prayers and my dreams. But thank you for your feelings. Be a good husband." With that, he left without looking back.

"I thought you're in your office now," Sasuke said as he fell in step with his hokage.

"Supposedly, yeah."

The captain raised an eyebrow to which the other man laughed. As they walked side by side, Naruto kept on giving him furtive glances.

_Was it for power?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

_Everything was just a green blur as he sped past the sea of trees towards his village. He knew Tsunade would have his hide for being late in coming home and that it would be a long time before he'd be given another solo mission but it couldn't be help and it won't stop him from continuing his search for Sasuke. Nothing would stop him. It was more than just a promise to Sakura now. It was more than an obsession, a drive, a passion or commitment. It was the reason of his strength and to find Sasuke was like finding peace… finding his soul._

_He squinted his eyes when ahead of him something disturbed his vision of green like a glaring black stain on a white cloth then he stopped._

_Sasuke..._

_The missing-nin was leisurely leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest._

_The blonde had imagined how they'd meet again but it never crossed his mind that it would be like this. Never like this with Sasuke looking like he was waiting patiently; like his reason of existence was to wait for him._

_Sasuke turned his head and focused his dark eyes on the sun that haunted him day and night._

"_Dobe," he said. The pet name spilling from his mouth was like caramel rich, thick and smooth. With the way he was looking at his former teammate, it made his attempts of killing the latter; their fights that somehow always ended up undecided and their ties to opposites sides seemed like absurd lies. It was as if nothing mattered but this moment when they were looking at each other with the blonde turned between attacking Sasuke or hugging him._

"_What are you doing here in our border?" Naruto asked impersonally even when he was reduced to nothing but whirling mass of emotions. He didn't even add 'bastard' because it made the question endearing in a twisted way; it would make them familiar with each other once more and it would give him the illusion that everything was all right between them. "Are you here to end our battle?"_

_Sasuke scoffed at the hopeful voice, "Sorry to disappoint you but no."_

_Naruto made a face, "you always disappoint me in all worst ways."_

"_And you, dobe, surprises me."_

"_I don't have time to hear your half-ass compliments," he snapped even though his heart fluttered._

"_I'm coming home," Sasuke announced when the Konoha ninja was about to leave._

_The word 'home' squeezed the blonde's heart painfully because he and Sasuke had different homes._

"_Well, your home for the past four years is somewhere beyond the Valley of End and I'm not in the position to guide you."_

_Sasuke could have replied that his home was in front of him but he didn't because it sounded too corny and so un-him so he settled for, "that's just the place I need to be until I have what he offered to me."_

"_Then off you go to the snake pit, ba- asshole!" he shouted. "And tell your master that next time he won't slither towards escape."_

_Naruto let out a gasp when Sasuke, whose eyes were stained with red, slammed him against a tree._

"_I'm my own master," he hissed, "and for the record, I killed that snake earlier today."_

_Blue eyes widened because the man holding him didn't look like he killed someone as powerful as Orochimaru because he looked too clean and he had no injuries or whatsoever._

"_Having Kabuto as your constant guard had some merits," he explained._

"_Huh?"_

"_I learned some medical skills from him."_

_Naruto just nodded stupidly. The death of one of the sannin was still lodged from his mind unable to give space to the missing-nin's declaration of his additional skills. _

_The snake's death meant no more soul-transfer technique. They had heard from their spies that a year before Orochimaru's transfer to Sasuke body, the body he had been occupying malfunctioned unable to stand his power thus forcing him to another body that wasn't Sasuke's because Sasuke's will was too strong to allow him to perform the technique. As annoying as it was, Orochimaru had no choice but to accept and doubled his efforts to make the Uchiha accept his ultimate role as a vessel. But now that he was dead, Sasuke was saved from the soul-transfer technique. And this time for good._

"_Your coming home... is it just a whim?" he asked because he wanted to know._

"_Who knows," he answered with an arrogant shrug. It was a whim at the same it wasn't. He had really plan to go back to Konoha after everything is over. It was just that, after he burned Orochimaru's and Kabuto's corpse, his feet led him back to Konoha._

_Displeased with the answer, Naruto threw his fist towards the other but a bit slowly, giving the latter a time to duck. But Sasuke had no wish to evade it. He deserved it._

_The blonde looked at his former teammate sprawled on the grass, his lower lip sporting a cut then sighed. He lowered a bit to offer his hand, "c'mon bastard. We're going home."_

_Without further ado, Sasuke took the tanned hand in a firm clasp. He was home._

A vein ticked visibly on Sasuke's forehead when he noticed that the hokage was openly and blankly staring at somewhere behind him instead of listening to what he was saying. He frowned more so in worry than annoyance because for these past two days, the blonde had been spacing out a lot and looked disturbed at the same time tearful.

He reached across the table and took off the hokage hat from Naruto's head, eliciting a startled gasp from him.

"What's bothering you lately?" he asked, not as a subordinate but as a spouse.

"Nothing."

But the dark-haired ninja could tell that his voice lacked conviction so he arched an eyebrow in disbelief.

A second later, the blonde pressed his palm against his desk before he said, "I've been thinking..."

Sasuke prepared himself for a serious talk knowing that it would definitely be one. What tipped him off was the fact that it was always rare for Naruto to begin his dialogue with that phrase and when he did, it meant that the topic was important.

"I didn't know why you came back as I never asked you and you never told me. But now, I want to know."

"You're wearing it," Sasuke replied while wondering where this conversation was heading to.

Naruto looked at his ring, staring at it like it was now a burden. "Why did you marry me? Was it for love or something else… like power?" He whispered the last word but the other man heard it clearly.

The inquiry had been a slap, a kunai stab, a punch, a kick and a shuriken wound rolled in one. Sasuke didn't know that pain and anger fit each other so well until now that he felt laughing. Was the question an innocent inquiry or was it an indirect accusation?

"What are you trying to say?" He replied carefully and clearly.

"You left for power so it's no surprise that you came back and married me for the same reason. You wanted Kyuubi's power."

Sasuke bristled at such baseless accusation. Naruto was good in trusting people except him. Why was that? Was it because he had betrayed him once? He wanted to know.

"Just when you're capable of thinking, you think of stupid things," Sasuke spat coldly.

"They're important to me!"

"You're just being stupid," he said, pain intensifying as he saw those accusing and doubting blue eyes. Why the doubt? Was he still a traitor in those eyes? He knew what he did could never be erased but it still it hurt. A lot.

"I'm not, bastard!"

"Well, fuck you!"

"That's what you had been doing ever since," he snapped back before Sasuke disappeared in a smoke. Naruto didn't know what or who he was crying for. Was he crying for himself? For Sasuke? Or for 'them' that had never existed?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Your wife would be disappointed to hear that you died while sharpening your kunai during our mission," Yanagi commented in a joke as she approached her captain who was sharpening his kunai forcefully, carelessly and angrily.

Sasuke didn't shift his gaze to her. "It's not your shift yet."

"I know but I'm not the least bit sleepy and you need someone to make sure that you're safe from your kunai."

The man glared at her but she wasn't affected the least. Being his subordinate for a long time made her immune to such Uchiha trademark.

"Its a pity that the bandits you killed didn't cool your head," she said while shuddering at the memory of the battle they had against the bandits few hours ago was more like a slaughter as her captain killed them all. Yanagi sighed then chuckled dryly, "You and Naruto-sama don't have a lot of couple spats as the others but when you fight, it's like an apocalypse. I'm sure he's tossing in your bed right now, wondering when you're coming home"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, "He's too stupid to think of that."

But contrary to what Sasuke was thinking Naruto was indeed tossing in their bed. The blonde for the umpteenth time punched his pillow to a more comfortable shape. No matter how tired he was with his work, he couldn't sleep. His pillow was too uncomfortable, the blanket too heavy and the bed was too soft and the same time hard. Everything just felt so wrong and all because Sasuke wasn't there when they were having some spat.

He closed his eyes and the image of Sasuke's obsidian eyes filled with silent pain haunted him, causing him to open his eyes. He couldn't close them back because the image he'd see would only break him. He had hurt Sasuke and god he hated it. He hadn't expected for things to go that way. He just wanted to know what his reason was for coming back and for marrying him. It would hurt a lot if Sasuke would say it was for power but he would never let Sasuke go. In fact, he'd probably do his best to make the dark-haired man fall in love with him madly and deeply, if he wasn't already. But first, he had to apologize to Sasuke.

Weary of his tossing, he got out from the bed and went to seat on the chair. He grabbed an empty scroll, a pen and started writing. This would be one of the nights he'd spend awake since their latest spat.

Damn Yuichi. Damn him for being stupid. Damn for him being so madly in love.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke's team entered the Konoha gates, feeling tired from the lack of action.

"It's good to be back home," Hiko said while giving a sideway glance to their captain who seemed to tense more.

"I want to do another mission. This time, fully pack with actions," Ken said.

"Then shall we talk with the hokage for some?" Yanagi asked.

"He told me there are no other missions for us until next week," Sasuke said truthfully, "but we could get some from the mission office."

His three subordinates cheered like children.

"Our mission report, hokage-sama," Ken said then paused when he noticed how bad the blonde was looking right now. "You don't look fine," he commented.

"Shouldn't your captain be delivering reports?" Naruto commented, looking at the scroll on his desk. "Or is he injured?" Oh God, no.

Ken laughed, "He's violent than usual but he's fine. In fact, they are in the mission room to get another mission."

"Excuse me?" he asked. Now, it was painfully obvious that his husband was avoiding him.

"Mission-" Ken stopped when he realized he was now talking to an empty chair.

"Captain," Naruto managed to say neutrally despite that he was angry as he entered the room. He even managed to acknowledge everybody's greeting.

Sasuke slowly turned around and looked at him, "Yes, hokage-sama?" His voice was calm and impersonal and it made Naruto cringed inwardly. Calm and impersonal was never good with Sasuke when it comes to him, Naruto knew that and it made him worry more.

"I need to talk with you in the office," he ordered and he knew that even Sasuke didn't want to he couldn't disobey an order not when there were a lot of people around. The dark-haired man bowed and quietly followed the rokudaime.

When they were now in the privacy of the hokage's office, Naruto untied Sasuke's porcelain mask. It was his way of expressing his wish to talk with the dark-haired man not as a captain but as his spouse.

Sasuke felt satisfied to see dark circles under those blue eyes.

"Will you please listen to me?" the blonde pleaded heartbrokenly.

"I won't stand here to be insulted," Sasuke replied tersely. He was afraid that in his moment of anger he'd hurt Naruto beyond repair- something he didn't and would never want to do. Ever.

"I'm sorry for hurting you. It wasn't my intention. But you know how tactless I could be."

Sasuke certainly did know because he had been his constant victim just as the blonde was of his coldness.

"I just wanted to know your reason of marrying me. It wouldn't be for companionship because you made that perfectly clear during our early teenage years. At least to your fan girls. And it couldn't be for the revival of your clan as you didn't know that I can give birth until we are already married," Naruto knew he was rambling but he couldn't help it just as he couldn't stop himself from wringing his hands. He looked at Sasuke for help but the latter was looking at him in detachment that bordered near boredom. In panic, he grabbed Sasuke's hands. "It wouldn't matter because it's in the past but I wanted to know."

"If I say it was for power, what would you do?"

The thorns of the barbed wire that had gripped his heart four days ago had pierced his beating organ. He was in pain and he was choking with his reply but his eyes despite stinging with tears had conviction in them.

"I had no choice but to make you love me."

Sasuke smirked, "you don't need to do that. I married you for that."

"You what?" First he was angry then desperate then in pain and now surprised. Must his husband always send him on a high-speed emotional ride? Sasuke love him for what? There was nothing about him to love unless...But it couldn't be, right?

Close to exasperation, Sasuke said, "I would love you with or without Kyuubi."

"Why? Why would someone like you love someone like me?"

And that was where Sasuke's problem lies. Naruto expected for an explanation and he couldn't give one. Yes, everything has reasons. Everything but love. Love is something that couldn't be broken down into logic. It was something he understood back at the Sound Village when he tried to make his strong and deep feelings for Naruto make sense with logic. And he couldn't because it wasn't meant to be understood with logic.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked when he remained quiet. The blonde was confused when Sasuke took him in his arms and kissed him breathlessly. It was a kiss meant to tease him and coaxed him into participation.

Naruto still was left in the dark as to why Sasuke loved him. As much as he wanted to ask again, his mouth was still being splendidly ravished and one by one, his thoughts were evaporating.

Few minutes later, Naruto's robe, boxers and pants pooled in disarray around the hokage chair together with Sasuke's flak jacket.

The blonde threw his head back welcoming Sasuke's exploring mouth on his neck. He let out a deep moan when his spouse gently massaged his inner thighs. He pushed his groin forward, rubbing his weeping erection with Sasuke's, causing for the dark-haired man to shudder deliciously.

Currents of pleasure burst everywhere within him as Naruto felt Sasuke entered him in one full thrust. Sasuke looked at those glazed blue eyes and smirked. He moved slowly and his hands gripped Naruto's hips to control its rise and fall on his groin.

Wanting more, Naruto pressed closer never pausing for a second that Sasuke might be flattened against the chair. All he could think was more.

Sasuke brushed his lips against one ear and asked huskily, "still thinking why I love you, dobe?"

Even when he was close to suffocate with the lack of pleasure, the blonde nodded. Sasuke smirked and there was a predatory glint in his very dark eyes.

Without warning, the dark-haired man none-too-gently slammed his dobe on the desk, upsetting the piles of documents. He pushed the blonde to lie on his side, raised one leg and thrust into him.

He was about to scold and curse Sasuke for the slam when his eyes rolled to the back of his head the second his spouse entered him. Sasuke was hitting his spot harder and deeper compared before. For every contact, electricity ran through him making him tremble and groan. He couldn't get enough of this mind-blowing sweetness that he started moving his hips desperately. He dug his fingers into the edge of the table clinging for buoyancy just so he could drag this longer when he felt himself being drowned and being swept away at the same time.

Sasuke bit his lips trying to stop himself from coming. He won't allow himself, not when Naruto hadn't yet understood his feelings. He wouldn't mind dragging this even to eternity because oh God! this was such a sweet torture. This wasn't sex or lovemaking. This was his confession. His explanation. This was his words.

His eyes fell on the scroll which was spread under Naruto's head and saw that the scroll contained nothing but his name written in different way and in different sizes. There was ink blots caused by… tear drops, his lust-filled mind pointed out to him. In fact, there were tears stains too. Was this what Naruto had been doing during his absence?

"Naruto," was all he could whisper as he kissed those closed eyes.

Faster... Harder... They moved together, the table slightly rocking together with them. It didn't matter to them that the force of their action caused more piles of papers to tumble and swirl around them or that the documents under Naruto were now crumpled or that they were doing it inside the office and on the hokage's desk, to top it off.

When both of them came together, they let out a deep groan.

Surrounded by blinding and pristine whiteness, Naruto's mind realized that this was Sasuke's love- overwhelming and pure. He now comprehended what his heart subconsciously knew all along - loving someone needed no reason or explanation. His 'Sasuke is kind and gentle underneath his cool mask', 'Sasuke understands me the most', 'Sasuke completes me', 'Sasuke makes me feel important; makes me feel what others couldn't' and so on and so forth were not reasons but petty excuses as he approached his love for his husband from a logical side. He was stupid.

When Naruto opened his eyes, Sasuke saw understanding and he gave a soft peck on the blonde's damp forehead.

"I'm sorry," Naruto whispered.

"It's okay," he replied then added teasingly, "You just don't love me enough not to doubt me."

Pouting, he countered, "I love you enough to doubt you."

"Hn."

"Ne, still leaving for that mission?" Naruto asked after a moment of silence.

"No choice. My team would look bad if we return what we asked."

Blue eyes darkened with disappointment, "I missed you."

Sasuke smirked, "I know, if those dark circles and eye bags are any indication. Go home and get some sleep."

"Didn't you hear me? I missed you. I won't go home and sleep in our bed without you," Naruto announced childishly.

"I'll be back five hours latter," Sasuke reassured before pulling out from his dobe.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"What?" Hiko, Ken and Yanagi cried out in protest when Sasuke arrogantly announced that they need to complete the mission within five hours.

"Isn't that a bit too much?" Hiko commented.

"Treat it as a training," their captain replied indifferently, "besides it's the hokage's order."

His three subordinates chuckled.

"More like your wife's order," Ken stated.

"So all is well with you guys," Yanagi chipped in with a wink.

Wanting to hide his slightly pink cheeks, he turned away and growled in a commanding voice, "Whatever. Just get your asses moving."

**TBC**

* * *

Because I think Naruto is stupid that way. Like him, there are people who doubted their loved ones no matter how deep their love went. It's like a natural order of things. shrugs shoulders 


	47. 自分を見せるぜ～

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC , OCs and unbe-read**

**Standard Disclaimer applies**

**---------------Horizontal line doesn't work---------------------------**

**Chapter 47: Unmasked**

Squirrels paused for a second, their ears twitching in full attention before they scattered away leaving their acorns. A moment later, Kisho burst through the bushes. He didn't mind that some twigs had torn his clothes and had scratched him. Nothing mattered except that his feet would take him to some place that nobody would reach him. With the back of his hand, he wiped what was a mixture of tears, nasal fluid and saliva from his chin.

Stumbling upon a rock, he twisted his right ankle before landing flat on his face. Instead of standing up immediately, he rolled over and screamed at the blue sky before oblivion swooped down to take him away.

Kisho shuffled his feet, excited with his class' first field trip outside the village.

"Hurry up, 'tousan!" he said.

"I am hurrying," Sasuke replied, "a minute more and we'll be done preparing your and your friends' bentou." The 'we' referred to him and his two shadow clones whom he had created to help him prepare lunch good for eleven person.

"I'm going to be late," the boy informed almost in a snap.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "it's still six o'clock and your meeting time is six thirty."

"Chichiue should be here doing that instead at some place attending meeting."

"But chichiue never give you an additional pudding, right?"

The blond boy grinned, "all right! Take your time, then."

The morning had been uneventful, in fact boring as teachers explained to them each plants and animals which could be useful when they become ninjas. What was only interesting was the time children were asked to draw their favorite animal or plant or both. After that was lunch time. There children who had more fun exchanging food and others who were happy to consume somebody's food instead of theirs.

Aside from one hour and thirty minutes lunch break, there was also a one hour rest. But being the kids that they were, they used that time to play.

While some were playing tag and punishment games, others had opted to play a more fun game- ninja. They grouped themselves into two warring team who had five stones. The first team who lost their stones to the other was the loser.

Saburo let out a frustrated groan as another stone was taken away from his group.

"Kisho! Didn't I tell you to watch my back?"

"I'm. I did!" he replied smilingly which frustrate the other boy.

"Then why-"

Kisho was still smiling when he cut his friend off, "it's not good to blame others for your mistake."

Saburo looked crossed at the off-handed comment and shoved the blonde who was still smiling. He pulled his fist ready to slam it into that infuriating face when a slight earthquake occurred. And the protruding part of the mountain that cradled boulders and rocks took that moment to collapse.

"Move Ai-chan!" an older student shouted at her classmate who stayed rooted under the falling boulders. Everybody was frozen at the sight and possible death. Everybody but Kisho. The boy shoved his friend away to free himself from the other's hold then ran towards his classmate as fast as he could. But his fast reflexes had been dulled after pretending for more than a year. And he could only watched in desperation when boulders upon boulders piled upon the girl.

For the first time, Kisho felt bad... guilty thinking that he had in a way killed his classmate. He could have saved her if only... With a sob, he left the place ignoring few friends calling his name, asking where he was going. He didn't know where but he didn't want to see their accusing stares.

Remembering the horrified look of his classmate, he kept on muttering an apology until it was lost in his sobs.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

He who went by the name Nanashi wasn't a vagabond, fugitive or a rounin. He had a master but he preferred to travel; to see the different sides of the world while continuously improving himself and evolving his sword technique.

He believed among other things, that every encounter had meaning so when his gaze fell on an unconscious boy he had carried him off to a safer place.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"How's Juri?" a teacher asked after taking a glance at the accident zone.

"Just scratches. Fortunately, the lower boulders had prevented the rest to crash her. We had rushed her to the hospice the moment we rescued her," he explained. "What about Kisho?"

The younger man shook his head, "We couldn't find him yet. But the other two are still searching but they told me that we should now inform his parents."

The last word made the other man's breathing a bit difficult. God only knew how the Uchiha would react to such bad news. Was there a way to inform the man without risking few of his limbs? The answer came to him through the cries of a crow. No, he won't ask Kakashi as the man made him uncomfortable with his smile. Iruka-sensei would be best for breaking the news.

"C'mon, let's go to Iruka."

"Iruka-sensei has nothing to do with this."

The older man smiled in contrary.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The kunoichi receptionist smiled at her former classmate who looked deathly pale.

"Iruka, the summer heat must have gotten you pretty bad," she commented. "What can I do for you?"

"Is Sasuke around?"

"Yeah. He just came back from training. You'll find him in the common room with few people."

Iruka knocked before cautiously entering the room. He found the dark-haired captain at one corner of the room playing shogi with Shikamaru.

The two ANBU captains nodded their head in silent greeting to their former teacher.

"Sasuke," Iruka started after clearing his throat twice, "there had been an accident…" He noticed how tensed and alarm Sasuke was that he immediately assured him, "No. It's not Kisho."

But Shikamaru and Sasuke could hear the word 'but' even when it wasn't being spoken.

"The teachers accompanying the class still don't know why nor could come up with reasons but after the accident, Kisho ran away," he informed and looked at Sasuke directly in the eye. "Kisho is missing, Sasuke. He had been missing for almost two hours now,"

And the shogi piece that had slipped from the dark-haired man's hand cluttered to the floor louder than usual as silence settled upon them.

"Why didn't they inform me of this earlier?" Sasuke asked in a very calm voice.

"They thought they could handle it. They didn't want to give any false alarm," Iruka said. "But they are still out there searching."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru said as he stood up then looked at Sasuke, "I'll get my team ready to go search too."

"Do you want me to send a message to Naruto?"

Sasuke looked at the older man and shook his head. If they would inform Naruto, he knew his blonde would be in a panic mode to think properly and besides Sasuke could handle this. "Let's exhaust everything we have before we'll inform him." It was best that way for Naruto.

_Be safe, Kisho. I'll be there to find you._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Nanashi gaped as he noticed that all the red scratches on the boy's skin had been gone. He looked at the herbs he had picked few minutes ago and sighed. His effort and time had been wasted.

The boy's stirring told him he was awake. And when those eyes opened and looked at him in dazed, he was shock to find what was on those dull obsidian pools. It was the eyes similar to that of a desperate, helpless and dying man.

Why was this boy at a very tender age looked like this? He wondered briefly before he plunged deeper. As a warrior at the same time traveler, he knew that the eyes were the windows of one soul and as he searched for more he realized that the boy's soul was suffocating not only from the masks the boy was wearing but from the cell that caged him.

"Who are you, mister?" he heard the boy asked quickly.

"I go by the name of Nanashi," he replied. "And you boy, who are you?"

The blonde looked away and muttered, "I'm no one now." He had ran away… thrown everything away because he was afraid; because he was a murderer.

The man arched his eyebrow, "You are someone beneath that mask." He wasn't stupid. Eyes as dark and mysterious as the night itself, blond hair that rivaled the sun and the chakra that was waiting to be tamed and used, he knew who he had saved. He had met his parents once when they were still ANBU members.

"I ran away from home because I killed someone," he explained. And because the man was looking at him with disbelief, he told him what had happened that day.

In the end of the story, Nanashi chuckled. "You didn't kill her, boy but there's someone who's about to die if you keep on pretending- yourself."

Kisho looked confused and silently waiting for an explanation but the man shook his head and thrust into his hands a bowl of porridge.

"I'll tell you later."

"Are you going to send me home?"

Nanashi knew the boy didn't want to go home and sending him back to the village would mean force on his part and rebellion on the blonde's part. "Let's stay here until you want to go home."

"I want to come with you."

"Decide that when your head is already clear. For now, eat and sleep. I'll watch over you. No one will find us."

Kisho nodded and took what was offered.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It had been six hours, twenty-seven minutes, 12 seconds and counting and yet there was no sign of Kisho.

Sasuke looked at Kiba who joined them together with Akamaru and the man's face told them that his search was also negative.

"We couldn't even trace his scent. It was like he just vanished after reaching that bush. But there was also another's man scent," Kiba said.

"Just like Pakkun claimed," Lee muttered. "And now that it's about to rain, things would look worse.

"Kidnap is a big possibility then," Shikamaru said, "It's time we should enlist help from special jounin."

"We should continue with the search and wait for ransom," Sasuke added then shook his head when pairs of eyes looked at him, waiting. "No, we're not yet going to send word to him. Not yet." He stared at the dark inky sky.

_Where are you, my son?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Even in the dark, the man could see the boy was tossing and turning in his sleep. In fact, he was whimpering. Unable to stand no more, he gently shook the boy to awakening.

"No one's going to take you back," he whispered, "I'll kill anyone who does." The shinobi were far more superior over him, he knew that, but he needed to comfort the boy. Besides, he had made to cover their tracks and the rain was also helping him now.

There was conviction in his voice that the boy sniffed and smiled tearfully, "thank you, mister. And my name is Kisho."

Nanashi nodded, "Very well then, Kisho, have a peaceful sleep."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Kisho woke up there was already a simple meal waiting for him. He could hear the sounds of the rain pounding the ground since last night. From the inconspicuous entrance of an equally inconspicuous cave, he watched the gloomy world outside. It seemed it reflected his world or was his world gloomier?

"You look like an old man with that look on your face, "Nanashi commented.

Kisho looked at him. There was a smile on the man's face and his aura… it was not cheerful but it was light. "Do you enjoy living?"

The swordsman chuckled, "And you talk like an old bitter man. But to answer your question, yes, I am."

"Why?"

"Because I am true to myself. I do what I want to do."

Kisho clenched and unclenched his hands while looking at them, "Isn't that hard? People would hate you."

"But to hate oneself is worse."

"I hate myself for being different," he confessed and tears sprang in his eyes. "Why do I have this so much power that even animals hated me? Why do I have to be better than anyone? Why does everything come so easy with me but making friends? It hurts. It hurt too much."

A quiet Nanashi looked at the boy clenching his chest and felt sympathy than pity. He drew closer to the boy and hugged him.

"Those animals are just being wary, afraid that you would hurt them."

"But I wouldn't," Kisho said with insistence.

"But that's what they thought at first. That's basic in survival."

The last statement confused the boy and Nanashi once again reminded himself that he was talking to a child.

"If you'd show them that you meant no harm then they'd befriend you. You need to tell them not to be scared of you just as your parents tell you not to be afraid of the dark, right?"

Kisho nodded. His parents had told him that. Sometimes his chichiue would hum a song and gently pat his hips. Other times, his otousan would read or tell him stories of brave ninjas. His heart felt heavy as he realized that he missed them.

"To be different could be a curse or a gift.-"

"You mean like reward and punishment?"

Nanashi nodded. "Yeah but that depends on how you see it."

"A punishment..."he muttered.

"And yet you felt bad that you couldn't save your classmate."

"I...I"

"Listen, Kisho. To be different is never easy. But if you accept what you are; if you're true to yourself and love yourself people would also love you."

"Really?"

The swordsman nodded, "You have to prove to them that while you're different from them you're still like them- you laugh, you cry, you get hurt and etc.," Nanashi smiled as he saw that the boy was comprehending things quickly. "But despite your efforts, there would still be others who would despise you." At this he saw Kisho frowned. "But there are others too who wouldn't and these will be your friends. Friends accept you for who you really are. No questions ask."

When Kisho's eyes met his, Nanashi saw strength and the fire of his soul was now rising up. "You'll make a splendid shinobi."

"Can you take me home now?" Kisho asked.

"I thought you want me to take you along?"

The boy stuck his tongue out and in a serious tone confessed, "I missed my parents."

The man chuckled, "very well."

Nanashi looked amused when Kisho realized how close they were to the village. In fact, they were hiding behind the village although he had found the boy almost four kilo meters away from Konoha. He knew the ninjas wont be pleased to know they had been tricked into believing that Kisho had been taken farther, kidnap perhaps. He had pissed them more for erasing their scent but it was his SOP. He hoped they'd be forgiving.

Both of them hadn't taken ten steps when five jounins surrounded them. From the way the shinobis looked at him, Nanashi knew he was branded as a kidnapper for keeping the boy for what? for one night and a day. But Nanashi wasn't stupid. He looked at the leader straight in the eye but he didn't draw his sword.

"What kind of a man are you to kidnap this golden bundle of passion and youthfulness?" the leader inquired loudly.

"You're wrong, uncle-"

"It's okay, Kisho. I, one of the two beautiful green beasts of Konoha will punished this man."

At that, three jounins advanced towards Nanashi, grabbed and pushed him to the ground to tie him. All the time, Kisho was screaming to let the man go. When he kicked one of the shinobis who was tying his friend, Lee held him back. When his flailing arms and legs didn't work, he was about to bite one of the restraining arms when a familiar voice stopped.

"What's this commotion all about?"

"Chichiue!" Kisho uttered in happiness, momentarily forgotten that he was a prisoner of Lee's almost crushing embrace. His father would definitely listen to him.

"Welcome back, Naruto-sama," all jounins greeted with a low but respectful bow.

"Despite my situation, its nice to meet you again, captain," Nanashi greeted warmly then added, "or should I say hokage-sama?"

Recognition dawned on Naruto's face a second later and he let out his infamous screeched, "Nanashi-jisan."

The swordsman cringed. First it had been niisan and now jisan? What would be next?

"Fuzzy eyebrows, explain to me why he's being tied like a criminal."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

In one of the rooms of their residence, Sasuke and Naruto learned from Nanashi what Kisho was going through and how he was coping up. Both of them looked pained, guilty and embarrassed. Pained because their child was suffering. Guilty because they hadn't been able to even guess what was actually going on. 'If only I paid more attention...' was what was on their mind blinking and flashing brightly. Embarrassed because it took a stranger for Kisho to open up. In a way they had failed their role as parents and it was vexing.

As gratitude the couple had asked Nanashi to stay at their mansion as long as he wants and anytime he wants in which he accepted gratefully.

Later at night when their guest had settled in his room, Naruto joined Sasuke in Kisho's room.

Sasuke was sitting on the bed, his back cushioned by two pillows from the hardness of the headboard and his legs stretched in front of him. Sitting across his lap with his head against the older man's chest was Kisho. The boy was concentrating more in listening his otousan's heartbeat and savoring his warmth and scent rather than listening to the story his father was reading.

Even though Sasuke knew Kisho was giving the story a quarter of his attention, he continued reading. Once in a while, his fingers affectionately combed Kisho's golden locks.

"Chichiue," he said as his father sat on the edge of the bed.

"Ne, Kisho," Naruto started. "Otousan and I are sorry for never being there for you."

"It's not your fault," the boy replied what he had told Sasuke when the latter apologized earlier. "It was like a long game of pretension. I had fun. Sort of," he added with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You aren't alone," Sasuke reminded him, "so there is no need to pretend."

The couple shared a look for a brief second.

Kisho immediately clutched Sasuke's shirt when he felt a burst of ominous chakra near him. Still pressing closer, he slowly turned his head then gasped as his gaze landed on his chichiue.

His mind tried to come up with an explanation why his father's scars became more pronounced; why his chichiue's chakra which was usually blue was now red; why his eyes were red and slit and most of all why his father looked like a giant cat. But no matter how he looked at the transformation, he couldn't come up with an explanation yet his mind pointed out that the current of the red chakra was almost similar to his.

"Remember about the story of a ninja who managed to save the village from a fox demon?" Sasuke asked.

The boy nodded then his eyes widened as he quickly connected things, "Chichiue was the baby."

Sasuke nodded affirmatively. Kisho hurriedly scrambled to Naruto, pulled up his father's shirt to see the seal. When he did, he pressed his fingers wanting to trace the markings but pull back because it was as hot as fire.

He remembered all the stories his otousan told him about the fox demon and the boy who carried it. He had laughed when his dark-haired father named the characters after them. Of course he had blushed when the older man named the child who was inside the jinchuuriki when Kyuubi reached its growth stage after him. He had thought it was a fiction and his father was just humoring him by changing the names of characters. But now he realized he was wrong. Everything about the story was true.

However Kisho wasn't the only one who had the wrong assumption. Even Yuuzuki, Akemi and Miki thought it was just a made-up tale to explain why their chichiue could give birth or why they don't have relatives and why otousan never mention or talk much about their uncle.

Naruto and Sasuke wouldn't correct or insist. They'd just let them be. They had already provided the facts through story-telling and it was up to them to realize and comprehend them at their own time and pace. That was the method the couple had agreed and in their opinion it was a good way.

Kisho wanted to lash out at his father for making him different from everyone else then realized that he wasn't so different from him and he find that comforting. And when he recalled from the story how his father struggled his anger disappeared.

When their eyes met, a new bond had been formed- that of kindred spirit. Kisho was more determined to be himself seeing that Naruto was able to do so despite the hardships. From the depths of his determination, a hope took form. A hope that one day he'd meet someone who'd truly recognize him just as his otousan did his chichiue.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Ne, Sasuke," came Naruto's voice in the dark as the couple was lying on their bed, holding each other. Naruto had expected Sasuke to do what he always do when his guess is correctー flaunting the fact that he had been right when he thought that there was something wrong with Kisho. However, when his spouse didn't he was slightly disturbed especially when he had prepared a list of comebacks. In fact, his spouse just apologized to him thinking that he'd be mad for not being informed early about Kisho's disappearance and then nothing else. He would be if Kisho hadn't been found but their child was already with them so it really didn't matter much.

"Sasuke," he gently called out again and this time he received a reply. Although it was just a 'hn' it was as good as any of his replies. "I'm sorry for calling you paranoid. I just really wanted him to be happy; to have good childhood memories of friends something which I never had. So when I learned that-"

"At least from now on things would be fine, hopefully," Sasuke replied dismissively. Naruto didn't have to apologize as there was nothing to apologize. At least to him.

"I-"

"Shut up, dobe! I'm trying to sleep here."

A vein ticked on the blonde's forehead, "Sleep? Then why did your hand just snaked in there?"

-SasuNaru is love-

"Uncle," Kisho called out and ran after Nanashi who was stepping out the Konoha gates. "Don't leave yet. I want you to help me to get strong."

Nanashi crouched down and pat his head. "You're already strong and they're eager and more suited to teach you," he said, giving a meaningful look towards his family who stayed behind. "When we meet again, I know we will, show me your strength."

The boy nodded and beamed, "Until next time, uncle."

"Yes, until next time."

As the man's back became as small as a dot, Kisho looked at his clenched his hands.

_Next time..._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Kisho went back to school, he never bothered to correct the rumors that he was scared of earthquake and he got lost because he had no sense of direction. It was the first time that he paid no attention to such trifle thing. He had already played the part of a fool and now it was time to be his real self.

"Fifteen point five degrees," answered Saburo confidently to the difficult problem written on the board. And those students who weren't able to get the question 'ah'ed and 'oh'ed to their class' genius.

_Payback time._

"Yes, Kisho-kun?" their instructor asked indicating for the child who had raised his hand to speak.

Everybody expected him to ask the teacher to explain how it resulted to that but Kisho had no plans to live up to anyone's expectations. This time, he would follow his own rules.

"Wouldn't it be better if the angle of his elbow is eleven point seventy five? In that way, the konoha ninja could disable some traps or harm other hidden enemies. And if he increased-"

"Wait a minute!" Saburo almost cried out. "The problem didn't say anything about traps and other enemies."

"Not directly," Kisho answered, "but there are hints."

"Really?" the other boy's voice was thick with sarcasm but it didn't affect the blonde who was thoroughly enjoying the situation.

"The problem stated that the Konoha ninja knows the terrain. That alone puts him on a good advantage. Unless the opponent is stupid, brave or stronger, he would set traps to negate his advantage or bring comrades to outnumber him and hopefully win." If only his brothers were listening now, they'd be happy to realize that he was really listening to them.

"That's stupid." His pride as the top of the class refused to accept that his classmate could be right.

"But anything is possible in the battlefield that is why we must look underneath of the underneath," Kisho stated matter-of-factly.

With a growl, Subaro threw his pencil case. But this time, Kisho was no longer deaf to his instincts. With a grace that he hadn't shown before, he leaned sideward and caught the object.

"You missed." Obsidian eyes were full of mockery and arrogance.

Saburo threw his body towards the infuriating boy ready to beat him up but the teacher poof between them and stopped the furious boy.

Their teacher looked at Kisho wondering what was wrong with his blond student. He had never seen him like this or heard of him approaching the problems in a manner similar to the upper graders. It was as if...

"Is there something wrong, Kisho-kun?"

The boy beamed, "just being myself."

Even if the others were giving him antagonistic looks, Kisho never felt any better than before. Was this what a caged bird feel once it gained its freedom and roamed the skies?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"I heard that they Uchiha boy caused a scene during their second period," an ash-gray-haired boy said as he joined his two friends during their lunch break.

"What? He became more stupid?" his friend asked, never bothering to look up from the piece of wood he was carving with a kunai.

The third boy with amethyst eyes snorted, "What could be more stupid than hiding behind a mask?"

They couldn't remember exactly when but they could remember why Kisho had them watching and observing him from the distance for a while now. The blonde just stood out from everyone else despite his impressive skills of acting. It was like they could hear his silent cries resonating from his soul wherever he was. They shared the same opinion that he was pathetic and stupid but they watched with abated breath as to when that mask would slip or when his real self would die. It was an interesting way of killing their time in the academy.

"Actually he dropped his mask," came the announcement and the two were pleased to hear it.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It didn't take long for Kisho to lose his friends and all his classmates refused to have anything to do with him except when there were seatwork pairings and activity groupings for one reason: he was impressively intelligent. Kisho knew their reason and he didn't want to be used. He even insisted to work alone but his teachers refused because it would defeat the purpose of the activities-understanding the dynamics of teamwork.

Kisho also posed another problem for his teachers. The boy looked incredibly bored during all his classes that he, most of the time, fell asleep. But despite his sudden sleeping habits, the boy managed to get perfect scores. And while Kisho was struggling to stay awake, his classmates were struggling to catch up wit him and impatient to reach whatever level Kisho was. In the end, the class adviser decided to transfer Kisho to the second grade.

Unfortunately, it was still the same. He suffered boredom while his new classmates suffered impatience and saw the boy's rise to the class top as something rude or a crime against them. Again, he was transferred to the third grade. However, he was being isolated by everyone. A lot felt inferior to him while others felt insulted that someone like him could be better than them.

All the time, Kisho remained firm to be by himself. Yes, he was lonely but it felt good to be true to oneself and his hope to have a real friend never dimmed nor wavered.

It hadn't been two weeks before he had ran away from Konoha, when he was transferred again. This time, he was going to join with the fourth graders whose homeroom teacher was no other than his Uncle Iruka.

"Kisho, you're just in time," Iruka said as he led the boy inside the classroom. "We're doing a 4-man team activity for today and one group lack one person." He ushered him to the mentioned group. "Boys, this is your fourth member, Kisho Uchiha.," he introduced.

The three boys nodded.

"Kazushi," the boy with an ash-gray hair said with bright smile.

"Shigure," another one said.

"Makoto," the other nodded, his purple eyes almost piercing him.

"Be good friends, okay?" Iruka said then added before leaving, "Shigure-kun, this isn't the time for carving."

Their activity from what he had gathered was to come up with an ambush plan with minimum damage despite the list of disadvantages written on the board.

"So what do you think, Kisho?" Shigure asked.

It took a moment for the blonde to realize that someone was talking to, no, with him and longer to realize that they weren't waiting for his answer but for his opinion and ideas. And as he started interacting, he knew that these three boys- one with eyes that were too purple to be human; the other sporting a tear-shaped birthmark just below his right eye and the last looking more like a doll than anything else, were going to be his friends. His close friends.

**TBC**

**---------------Horizontal line doesn't work---------------------------**

That's it but it's not yet settled. More on Kisho on later chapters. For next chapter, it's just SasuNaru fluff on how they spend start and end their way. I throw a carnival festival along the way. Please look forward to it.


	48. 太陽と月の絆

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read**

**Standard disclaimer applies.**

**To all reviewers: Thank you for your reviews. It is because you that I got this far. **

To Chichi: No, Yuuzuki, Akemi and Miki had already figured things about Naruto and Sasuke. But just like Kisho, they had assumed that those bedtime stories were just stories.

**------------------------------- because the horizontal bar still doesn't work ------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 48: Snatches of eternity**

At the strike of 4:45, Uchiha Sasuke-one of the most skilled captain of a high-rank ANBU cell, a member of the highest echelon of ANBU; one of the ninjas who were believed to be the deadliest and the head of the prestigious Uchiha clan, woke up to silently observe his sleeping wife. And because he and their kids had no mission for the day, he could observe Naruto to his heart's content.

His long fingers brushed through golden locks feeling its softness before twirling the strands around them. His eyes leisurely wander over his face, memorizing his facial angle before moving downwards to rove all exposed skin, mentally kissing them. With a smirk, he lightly caressed the hickeys and bite marks that littered his chest, shoulders and neck while planning where he'd put them the next time. He watched the steady rise and fall of the tanned chest and he adjusted his breathing so they would breathe together.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale.

Before he knew it, golden light had outlined the mountains at the same time smeared the dim sky. It was now morning to everybody but him.

Minutes later, sunbeam filtered through the window and crawled towards their bed. It didn't take long for the column of light to settle on Naruto's face.

When it did, the blonde stirred and stretched his body as much as possible, aware but not minding the appreciating predatory eyes. He moved his body towards Sasuke's to nuzzle his face against his husband's chest. Looking up to that handsome face, he childishly rubbed his eyes with his fist before settling his blue eyes on obsidian orbs. He smiled sleepily before his hand curled around Sasuke's nape to pull him closer so he could pressed their lips for a gentle morning kiss.

"Good morning, Sasuke-bastard," he greeted.

It was only when he heard the affectionate morning greeting and received his morning kiss that Sasuke's day would start. Beautifully.

They spent a minute or two cuddling each other while mentally preparing for the day's activities. After that, Sasuke handed to Naruto his yukata. There were times when the blonde would feel conscious that he'd wore it as he moved towards the bathroom and Sasuke would mentally undress him. There were also times like now that he'd turn down the offered wear and strut his way towards the bathroom, hungry obsidian eyes following him attentively.

And since Naruto did the cooking, Sasuke always let him use the bathroom first. While the blonde was taking a shower, he arranged their bed. If the sheets carried evidence of their passion just like that day, he changed them. He put on his yukata and took the dirty sheets to the laundry room. Then he spent the rest of his waiting time, reading scrolls.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Sasuke stepped out from the bathroom, there were a change of yukata and his complete ANBU gear on their bed like always. He didn't have to go over his standard-issued belt-bag and weapons pouch to check if his mask, scrolls, medical kit and his choice of weapons were there. He trusted Naruto's efficiency when it comes to that because it meant his life and the blonde was aware of that.

Donning the yukata, he made his way to the kitchen and made two steaming cups of coffee. While his was coffee-concentrated, Naruto's was sugar-concentrated coffee.

After offering Naruto his coffee, Sasuke took a seat on the kitchen table savoring his coffee while reading the morning paper.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Few minutes before Naruto would be done on preparing their meal, Sasuke would silently set the table without Naruto telling him and without Sasuke asking the blonde. It had been like this for a long time, whether in or out in the battlefield, their combination was finely tuned that words were not needed anymore. It didn't matter that the tempo of battle and that of marriage were different because they could always keep up as long as they have each other.

By the time he was done with the table, Naruto was already preparing Kisho's lunchbox. Sasuke created two clones to call their children who were either still in their room or at the training grounds.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke watched as their children partook the sumptuous meal on the table and noticed that there was a rip on Kisho's shirt. It must be from a kunai or shuriken and it looked like it reached the skin but since all of them were fast healers, there was no need to worry. But it gave him an idea together with the dirt on their shirts that they had trained together. He took a sip of his coffee before he leaned forward to ask, "so who got beaten up by who?"

"Guess," Yuuzuki said but the answer was in his mirthful eyes.

"But we're going to beat you next time ne, Kisho?"

The youngest nodded, "we'll beat you pretty good over and over again."

"We'll look forward to that," Akemi replied. "But first you need to coordinate your power."

Yuuzuki nodded, "you guys looked more awkward working together than I thought. If this continues, you'd end up dead."

"Good partnership doesn't develop overnight," Sasuke stated to cheer up Miki and Kisho. "You need to put in a lot of effort."

The four siblings nodded for different reasons. Yuuzuki and Akemi in agreement while the other two in understanding.

"By the way Kisho," Akemi said as he regarded their youngest, "your aim was pretty off."

"My muscles are still sore after yesterday's training," was the reply.

A grinning Miki pat his back, "leave that to me."

"Here you go, Kisho," Naruto said as he placed his lunchbox already wrapped with cloth, on the table.

"Thanks."

It was only when Naruto joined them did Sasuke allow himself to eat. The conversation dwelled on training for few minutes or so before it shifted to another topic.

When breakfast was over, Naruto created three clones to wash dishes and do all household chores while everybody started preparing for their appointments.

"I'm leaving," Kisho almost hollered from the genkan.

"Take care," Naruto answered, "Would you like me or otousan to pick you up?"

"No, I'll meet you at Amaguriya," saying that he left for school.

"I'm leaving also," Yuuzuki said from his parents' doorway.

"Don't forget-"

"I'll see you when I see you," cutting off his otousan. With a short wave, he disappeared in a poof.

"Sasuke, I can't find my black belt," a slightly annoyed Naruto said. "Where did you throw it last night, anyway?"

Sasuke pulled out the item from behind the headboard after he had freed Naruto from it last night. He tossed it towards the blonde who caught it while muttering of never doing slave-master once more.

Before Sasuke could say something about Naruto being the one suggesting it, Miki had entered the scene.

"Got a message from the med research dept.," she informed quickly, "something came up and they need me to deal with it."

"Does that mean you won't be able to join us?" Sasuke asked.

"Of course I will. If they called me instead of Tsunade, Shizune-neechan or Aunt Sakura then it's not really that big."

"Then see you later," Naruto said.

"Sure."

Akemi had been so engrossed with his scrolls that he didn't know his otousan had entered the room and had been talking until he felt a hand on his head.

"We're leaving," Sasuke said and his wandered over the boy's notes. "You're not yet done with that technique?" Referring to the latest technique Akemi completed a week ago. For some reason, the boy found passion to create techniques. He thought that it was interesting and challenging especially that only few people managed to do so without quitting.

"I decided to improve it," informed the boy.

"How about you use the bird sign to balance the equation?" Sasuke suggested.

"Sasuke, we've to leave now," Naruto called out from the hallway.

"But it has a negative effect on its longevity," Akemi stated.

"Sasukee," Naruto called out.

"In the left side of the farthest bookshelf in our library, you'll find very old scrolls that might help you."

"Really? Thanks."

Sasuke nodded and then quickly made his way towards the front door.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Side by side, Naruto and Sasuke walked together with the former carrying most of their conversation. But Naruto didn't mind as long as he had Sasuke's attention all to himself.

Since Naruto would have a meeting at the ANBU headquarters, the blonde didn't take his usual turn but tag along with his spouse. Once it a while, they let their hands brushed against each other, softly like a butterfly caress.

One block from their destination, the two shared a small smile before they morphed into what they were as servants and protectors of the village. Naruto put on his serious face and donned his hokage hat. Sasuke, on the other hand, had his face devoid of any expression and let his hokage walked two steps ahead of him before he resumed walking while maintaining the customary distance of respect between them.

Work and professional relationship started the moment the transformation was completed.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"What took you guys so long?" Yuuzuki, on behalf of his three siblings, asked their parents the moment they appeared in a swirl of leaves.

The two looked apologetic. "Something came up in the meeting, dragging it longer than planned," Sasuke explained.

Just then a voice boomed from the southern park followed by blaring music.

"Carnival festival just started," a grinning Naruto said.

"Then let's go," Kisho said.

Sasuke was half-amused to see Naruto's eyes darken with childish excitement.

At Kisho's request, they went to the house of mirrors. Seeing the mirrors all lined up reminded Sasuke of Haku and his brush with death.

That had been the time he realized that his hatred towards his blond teammate wasn't as deep as he had claimed. He had been confused at that time for what he did- unhesitatingly throwing away his life, the same life he had dedicated for vengeance just to save Naruto. But that confusion had receded as he saw his teammate safe, in fact the latter was holding him, his blue eyes looking troubled and pained. That was the moment he realized that he wanted to protect the other boy.

Sasuke turned to his side and saw Naruto looking at him, obviously remembering the same incident. They held each other's gazes until their children's laughter broke the trance they were in. Sasuke watched as the blonde bounded towards them.

_Do you have a precious person to protect?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto's heartbeat seemed to roar in his heart and his skin crawled even when he was still five steps away from the entrance to the Horror house. As ridiculous as it sounded, his fear of ghosts had remained even after all these years. While he was adamant to enter what he thought to be the cause of death, he couldn't say no in front of those puppy eyes his children seemed to perfect.

"Don't worry. Like always, I'll protect you," Sasuke said in a low voice.

"I'm not scared," Naruto countered too quickly to be considered as a truth.

"Hn."

Before Naruto could say anything, he was plundered into darkness and hair-raising coldness. He was about to flee when Sasuke took his hand.

"I'm here."

In reply, Naruto squeezed his hand.

While Naruto felt like his vocal cord would snapped into two with all his screaming, Sasuke felt like his ear drums were now damaged. Not only that he had been subjected to suffocating hugs and death grips too many times than he liked. So when they finally stepped outside, he felt relieved.

"You okay, chichiue?" Akemi asked when he noticed how pale his blond father was. Three more pairs of eyes gazed at him.

"C'mon, let's grab some dinner before we go our separate way," Naruto said never bothering to answer the inquiry. It was too embarrassing anyway.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sakura let out a deep sigh of disappointment. "It's too quite," she commented, "if only everybody is here with us." She looked at her former teammates and then at her husband.

"It's too bad that they are on mission or have already made plans," Lee added.

Naruto giggled, "Sakura-chan, enjoy the night with Fuzzy eyebrows." With that said he pulled Sasuke to his feet and left a blushing couple.

"Hey! Dobe, where are we going?" Sasuke asked as he was being half-dragged through the crowd. They were completely going against the flow of people.

"Hey, dobe!"

Naruto just threw him a smile over his shoulder. He found his answer few minutes later when they reached an overlooking cliff.

"We'll see the fire work display better from here," Naruto explained as he led his husband to the sole tree growing near the edge of the cliff. "And," he continued, "we've privacy."

Sasuke arched a fine eyebrow as the blonde pushed him against the trunk and kissed him leisurely. With a moan, Sasuke pulled him closer, fitting their bodies perfectly with each other.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Hisayuki told Yuuzuki that they'll watch the fireworks, the latter thought 'they' meant him and Hisayuki. However, the Hyuuga had other plans. He had left the dark-haired youth with his secret love after giving an excuse of meeting his ANBU team for the next day's mission.

He took a discreet glance at his lady companion who was just staring ahead, seemingly uncomfortable with the heavy silence.

"I'm surprised you aren't with your friends, Yukina-san," he commented while rocking his brain for an interesting but casual topic for them to discuss.

The girl chuckled and replied indifferently, "you can leave me if you want to."

Yuuzuki's eyes widened, "I didn't said that. I was just wondering why someone as outgoing as you is spending this night alone."

"They have dates and although they invited me to join them, I don't want to be a third wheel," she replied. Then looking at the ANBU member meaningfully she added, "However, I'm not the only one who doesn't have a date or am I assuming too much?"

This time, Yuuzuki was the one who chuckled and shook his head. He took another furtive glance, wondering and hesitating.

When it comes to Yukina, Yuuzuki always found himself hesitating whether asking her to go out with him or confessing his feelings for her. Because of this, his love life was as exciting as a dead rock and that amused at the same time irritated his best friend. What was so hard about courting a girl? Hisayuki had asked him over and over again and he would reply that it was harder than fighting enemies, getting out from sticky situations and thinking of battle plans. But he himself also thought of why courting was so hard anyway except that he had no answers. He just felt that way, no questions asked.

Yuuzuki was now aware that his best friend had created another chance for him but he didn't know how one should confess one's feelings. Were there some guidelines he needed to follow or...

Capturing her gaze with his own and feeling bolder than he usually was, he said, "Yukina-san, I like you," just as a firework exploded in the sky, its sound almost drowning out his confession.

Light brown eyes widened in disbelief and she felt that it was her heart that exploded.

"Why me?" the words flew from her mouth before she could stop them.

"Why not you?" he answered a bit confused and scared that he failed to follow the guidelines in confessing one's feelings. If he did, that was expected because he had no idea what those rules were.

"Why not me?" she repeated while wringing her hands for few seconds. She liked him also but she believed such feelings were forbidden and would only bring her pain. After all she was a nobody while he was somebody in the ANBU circuit as well as in the village. They weren't compatible. They were so different and world's apart.

"Because you're an Uchiha while I'm just an adopted child. There are others who are more suitable to be your gir-mmph..."

Yuuzuki had kissed her right there and then. It was a chaste kiss meant to stop her.

Yukina's eyes remained opened and staring at the sky painted with different colors as the firework exploded. She felt that the beautiful display of light was happening from another world.

"Don't be ridiculous," Yuuzuki said after he pulled away but he was still cupping her upturned face. "I want you," he said then immediately corrected the seemingly perverted statement, "I want you to be my everything. But if you refuse, you can walk away. I won't force you to stay." He was bold for some unknown reason but he wasn't forceful.

Yukina gave him a weak smile before she took two steps backward and walked away.

When she did so, Yuuzuki was heartbroken and he wanted to go after her but he had given his word. His parents had taught him to be a man of his word so even if it hurts him, he'd keep his word. He watched her getting farther while thinking that loving was the hardest thing in life. Why must love exist in life when it was meant to hurt?

He gasped when a body collided against him and when he looked down he had his arms full of a smiling Yukina.

"I give up," she said, "I couldn't take more than seven steps. I'll be what you wanted me to be in your life." For her love's happiness, she'd risk her heart. She'd risk everything she had and would have.

In his happiness, he kissed her and Yukina responded. This time the beautiful lights she saw were behind her eyelids.

And as he shyly deepened the kiss, he thought that indeed loving was the hardest thing but its rewards were the greatest.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Your idea is brilliant, Akemi although dangerous," one of his friends commented.

"It beats sitting anywhere on the ground. We could see the fireworks better," another one added.

"I told you it is going to be a great view," was Akemi's reply.

Of course it was because they were on the top of the Ferris wheel infrastructure. And just to make sure they won't fall, they had directed their chakra to their feet.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho gave Makoto a weird look as he giggled once more. His amethyst eyes glinting with insanity.

"How many cups of coffee did he have?" he asked.

"Five or more," Shigure replied.

The three sighed. They should be careful next time when they are near the booths selling drinks.

"Kisho, let's drink coffee."

"Makoto, nine-year olds don't drink coffee and they don't invite six-year olds to drink with them," Kazushi reprimanded.

Before Makoto would start throwing a tantrum, Kisho rendered him unconscious. Perhaps the act was not uncommon as the two gave him grateful smiles.

"Finally, peace," the doll-looking Kazushi murmured.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki sighed, unable to endure the awkward tension between her two teammates. She had hoped that they had settled their 'problem' when she met them that night but apparently, she hoped too much.

She placed her arms on her teammates' shoulders and drew them closer.

"I'm happy that the three of us are spending this night together," she started, "but I don't like it when both of you use me or the team just so you could see and spend time with each other."

Both of her teammates blushed and Kazuo opened his mouth to deny it but Miki cut him off.

"Why don't you guys be honest with each other and convey your feelings properly? With that said she left but not before patting their backs in assurance.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Pearl-eyes drank the natural grace her body was exuding as she moved through the crowd. He loved her. Truly love her even at such the young age of fifteen. He loved her not because she was beauty personified but because she was different from all the village girls. She spent her effort and time towards her dream. She didn't mind getting dirty. In fact, she'd prefer to get dirty as long as she'd able to spar at her heart's content against opponents who see past her appearance of a fragile-looking girl. Those who didn't, she made them see through her punches that she won't allow anybody to take her lightly. She was beauty, strength and haughtiness. And he loved her.

"Shouhei-kun?"

The voice of his goddess snapped him from his daze.

"Good evening, Miki," he greeted warmly.

"Rare to see you without your teammates."

Shouhei smiled, "they're on mission. I got my ankle injured..."

"You always push yourself too hard whether during missions or trainings."

The lad continued smiling. She didn't have to know yet that he was doing this to make himself worthy of her and his family name perfect enough for her to use. Everything was for her.

"You off somewhere?"

Miki shook her head, "No idea. I just ditched my teammates."

The Hyuuga didn't ask why. It wasn't significant to him. What mattered was that both of them had no companions in this lovely night. Hm… the possibilities.

Watching the colored lights splayed on her face, he asked casually, "Wanna continue watching the fireworks with me?"

"I don't mind. Let's watch it from a less-crowded area."

"Let's get some food first."

Miki agreed. It never crossed her mind that she had just been asked to a date. She was too young to understand Shouhei's gesture and too innocent to realize that she had been marked as the sole candidate for Shouhei Hyuuga's bride.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When the Uchiha couple decided to go home, the streets that would take them to their residence were now empty. The activity had ended almost two hours ago but they had stayed longer at the cliff, sitting and basking on each other's presence. It had been a long time since they did that- just sitting in a comfortable silence without talking or touching each other.

Just then a scene came to Naruto unbidden. It was of Sasuke.

_If giving this body of mine to Orochimaru meant accomplishing my goal then he can have my life and my after life for that matter._

Sasuke didn't know why Naruto stopped all of sudden. He was about to turn around and inquire when he felt himself being embraced from behind. He could feel sadness exuding from that lithe form.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"I don't know if I'm going nuts or just plainly obsessed and I don't know when this started. All I know is that I'm having random flashes of you from when you were still a kid to up to now," Naruto said quietly, "It's like I'm a walking comprehensive Sasuke-archive. Not that I mind, actually but sometimes the memories were painful and sad."

Sasuke's warm hands covered Naruto's. "What did you see, Naruto?" For Naruto to be like this; for his blonde to love him like this, it was almost too much for him. It tugged his heart in a painful at the same time good way.

"The time when you said letting Orochimaru have your life and afterlife…"

Sasuke closed his eyes as he remembered that time.

"I am as hurt as I was back then. You looked so determined to accomplish your goal; so uncaring with your life and so lonely that it left me heartbroken."

"I'm so-"

The embrace tightened as Naruto shook his head, "I don't want your apology, Sasuke. I don't need that. Just let me talk."

The dark-haired man nodded.

"That time you looked at me like I was nothing but a pest. You were what? few steps away from me and yet you're as far as the sky is to the ground. You're unreachable. If my words can't reach you then my actions definitely won't and I was wretchedly weak and I understood why you looked at me like I'm nothing."

Sasuke leaned against Naruto as he stared at the star-encrusted evening sky. "But you aren't nothing. You represent Konoha… you're the reason why I should be in Konoha; why I should go back to Konoha; you're a reminder that what I did was wrong," he explained. "Every time I see you or hear your name during my time as a Sound ninja, you made my heart beat and distract me from my goal… that's why I needed to kill you. With you gone, then Konoha would just be another village and I would become a heartless man. Every time my resolve to kill you is resolute and I have my chance to do so, something or someone would interrupt me. It's frustrating actually."

Naruto slowly turned him around and just as gently caressed Sasuke's left cheek in a loving gesture. Standing on his toes, he leaned up and brushed his lips against his husband's before looking up to intensely stare at those black pools.

_You have me… all throughout…_

"I really, truly love you," he said because love was the closest thing that could ever describe his feelings for the man in front of him.

A pang of fear thundered within Sasuke and resonated throughout his body. The way Naruto said his feelings and the way he was acting today… it was as if-

Sasuke gathered him in his arms and hugged him tight. "Don't leave me."

Naruto chuckled, "I've no reason to leave you, silly."

"But I get this feeling that we're going to be separated once more."

"Sasuke, there is always something that tears us apart from each other," and Naruto could name a few like Orochimaru, Akatsuki…. "But we always manage to gravitate towards each other. That's one of the rules of the universe."

"But what if our orbit is destroyed and this force between us is gone?"

"Then we're going to make a new one."

"And what happens if we can't make a new one."

Naruto leaned back and smiled, "That happens when the universe is no more and eternity ends."

His blonde looked so optimistic and convincing that Sasuke could only smile and murmur, "Dobe."

_To have you… for you to be mine…_

And whatever comeback Naruto had, it was swallowed by Sasuke's talented mouth.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Sasuke and Naruto stepped inside the house, they had never expected to see a skeleton floating in the air causing Naruto to jump in Sasuke's arms while the other man immediately, in reflex, threw a kunai to its direction and watched as the weapon rip its way through it. It was just a cloth. A black cloth with skeleton painted on it.

Seconds later, they heard muffled laughter and Sasuke reached for the light's switch. Naruto immediately climbed down from Sasuke's arms and he together with his husband glared at their four children who were few steps in front of them, laughing. Kisho was sitting on the floor, unable to stand on his feet, while Akemi and Miki were leaning against each other and Yuuzuki was holding his stomach.

"Sorry but we just couldn't help it," Yuuzuki said and the others apologized also but the sincerity of their words was lost in their laughter.

"It wasn't funny," Naruto said so dangerously that it dampened their mood a bit. "What if I have a heart attack?"

"You're healthy, chichiue," Miki replied.

"I don't mind you guys playing jokes on us but this went overboard," Sasuke said, "I expect you to clean the Uchiha premise by Saturday. You won't leave the house until you do so."

That had stopped them from laughing and knew they couldn't argue or get out from this situation.

"If your teamwork managed to make this joke amusing to you then you'll find that teamwork useful this weekend. I'm sure the task will be done before the day comes to an end." With that said , Sasuke went to the room to take a bath.

"We are sorry," all of them said with a bow towards Naruto who nodded.

"Just don't do it again. You really scared me."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"What are you chuckling?" Naruto asked as he let Sasuke towel his hair dry. His husband didn't answer but he didn't have to because the former now knew the answer. He glared at the dark-haired man and said, "You find their prank amusing."

"C'mon, you looked cute when you were so terrified. You're scared of something that doesn't exist. You should be scared of the living, dobe."

"Bastard, for your information ghosts exist. I had enough mission that dealt with them."

"Hn."

"Really." And Naruto proceeded in telling him all about his missions that had ghosts in them and Sasuke found the stories something close to boring or perhaps he was just tired.

"You're not listening," Naruto said in a melodious voice that belied his irritation.

"I'm or was," Sasuke replied as he decided to stretch on their bed. Naruto smiled and lay down beside him, his face hovering above Sasuke's.

When Sasuke yawned, he immediately inserted his pointer into his mouth causing his husband to growl. Naruto just giggled childishly, that was until Sasuke decided to bite his finger.

"You deserve it," Sasuke murmured before pulling Naruto's face down and kissed his forehead, the tip of his nose and then finally his lips.

"Goodnight, dobe." A greeting that mark that Naruto's day ended and made him realized how tired he was.

Naruto smiled, "good night, Sasuke."

And while his husband slept, he watched and observed how peaceful a sleeping Sasuke was. Chuckling, he brushed his lips against Sasuke's and placed his ear against his chest to listen to his beating heart. In a way, the gentle and relaxed thumping of Sasuke's heart was his lullaby.

_Our ties would never be broken. Evolve, yes but will never be broken._

**TBC**

**------------------------------- because the horizontal bar still doesn't work ------------------------------------------------**

You might call this a filler but I wanted to write even one chapter when things between Sasu and Naru are ordinary. In hopes of this, I decided to write something about how they spent their day with a carnival festival thrown into it. It's so fluff and sweet that I'm worried if you guys ended up having tonsilitis. Hahahaa


	49. 雨が降るように

**If you managed to get this far then you know what are the first two lines that should be here. I'm just lazy and I feel pretty bad for these past days. I blocked out twice, once inside the train and the other at home. I'm glad I didn't completely lose my consciousness or it would be so embarassing to faint inside the train with the passengers just asking you "daijoubo desu ka?" when it is so obvious you aren't. Hahahaha **

**A belated happy birthday to Karmegas who was celebrating her birthday on August 30. **

**Much love to reviewers. I'm glad you like the fluffiness of chapter 48. I don't do that often, do I? On to the fic. I talk too much. **

* * *

**Chapter 49: Red drops**

_A shinobi shows no emotions… His first priority is to complete the mission without any emotional hindrances._

The walking bomb was smiling at him angelically that he hesitated to stop him. But he knew that if he didn't, thousands of life would vanish. It was his team's mission to eliminate these extremists but he never thought that an angel was part of this group. Could he do it? Knowing that-

"Captain!"

Mysteriously, his conversation with Naruto when both of them were still ANBU members played inside his head like a very old love song… sweet and painfully nostalgic.

_Sasuke, this is wrong.  
What is?  
It says ANBU members are heartless and inhuman.  
It's a fact, dobe.  
No, I disagree.  
Why so?  
Because you aren't like that. All ANBU members just store their hearts and humanity away so they won't be hurt when doing missions… so they won't get affected. To serve the village… they have to be like that. It's painful watching them… Watching us… watching you. _

His hands moved quickly and within seconds his vision was painted with blood and decorated with chunks of body parts. It was almost beautiful to watch as if an artist had choreographed the whole thing.

_You're wrong, Naruto. No matter how hard we hide our heart and hold off our humanity, we still hurt. We hurt until we are humans no more but killing machines._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Thank you for your hard work," Naruto said as a sign of dismissal after Sasuke's team's debriefing.

The team bowed and headed towards the door. But instead of stepping out like his subordinates did, Sasuke locked the door.

Naruto who was clueless looked at the ANBU captain, "Is there anything else you need, captain?" He knew that it was almost like a habit for Sasuke to join his team for a drink or two or simply hang out with them after their mission's debriefing so what could be different now?

He yelped when Sasuke pushed him against the wall.

"What's wrong?" he asked as his hat was roughly taken from his head.

Sasuke snatched his mask away from him and let it clatter on the ground.

"Shut up," he replied, "just let me feel you."

_Make me feel… take away this burden… this cross… this guilt. Make me forget… Make me accept…_

Naruto looked startled but instead of asking, he nodded and he teleported them to the hokage sleeping quarters which he used when he spent the nighst at the hokage tower.

Sasuke was ridding their clothes desperately. Worried, Naruto asked again only to be kissed to dizzying heights. He couldn't remember much about anything. To him it was just a blur of hands, mouth and tongue. There was just an unbearable fire as Sasuke pleasured him but there was something off with the way he was making love to him. It was as if…

Every movement… every gesture… it was desperate, needy and selfish. Sasuke never paid much attention to his need. It was jus a quickie and a desperate one at that. But despite that he continued holding onto Sasuke, giving him the pleasure the latter was seeking from him. He didn't mind if he can't have his completion just as long as Sasuke found his. And the dark-haired man did.

He arched his back and let a deep moan before he slumped against Naruto.

After few minutes of silence, Sasuke pushed himself on his elbows watched as an affectionate smile grace those still swollen lips of his blonde. Naruto blinked as a bead of sweat dropped from the strands of black hair to his right eye. He let out a soft gasp when Sasuke moved and accidentally brushed his flagging erection.

The dark-haired man looked down and his eyes widened at what he saw. It was then that he realized that Naruto hadn't come yet. But it was okay because he wanted more of Naruto's warmth to chase the suffocating coldness that wrapped around him. He looked at the embarrassed-looking blonde then whispered his name so softly.

He latched his lips on that delicious neck, arousing thousands of nerves. His skillful hands moved downward to brush the pink nubs making them pert as they could be.

He kissed Naruto torridly and eagerly and the latter was only allowed to breathe when Sasuke nibbled his jaw then his ear before sliding his firm lips against his forehead. Unable to stop himself, the blonde grabbed and sucked Sasuke's chin which he found tempting that at very moment.

Slowly and sweetly, Sasuke's talented and wicked mouth moved downward, thus began Naruto's delicious ascent towards the gates of pleasure.

Naruto couldn't stop the noises at the back as Sasuke licked and nibbled his way to south while murmuring the blonde's name over and over again in a husky at the same time soft voice as if in prayer. No, it was a prayer- Sasuke's prayer for forgiveness and acceptance.

"Sasu-ah!" the blonde gasped as that wet and hot tongue plundered his navel then swirled around it. Oh sweet Lord. Was pleasure always beyond words? Beyond sanity?

He expected Sasuke to take him in his mouth but the latter didn't. Sasuke did something that he didn't expect him to do. He laved his puckered opening causing Naruto to see prickling lights as his eyes cross.

Sasuke shivered as he slipped his tongue into his dobe and felt its sultry heat. Long fingers moved to caress his perineum making Naruto cry out with wanton desire.

Tanned fingers dug into dark hair and the writhing blonde didn't know if he wanted to pull him up so he could kiss him or to plunge his length into that welcoming mouth. He wanted a lot of things but most importantly he wanted to come and he would... just few more of those wonderful strokes.

"Aah!" He cried out when a hand squeezed his erection.

"Don't... not yet," Sasuke said.

Naruto reached towards him, "please, Sasuke. Take me with you," he begged seductively, his parted and swollen lips shining with their saliva and his body glistening with sweat and Sasuke's saliva. His legs were spread in invitation. And the dark-haired man could see that opening red and ready for its plunderer.

Heavens! Should a man be this sinfully fuckable without being punished? As Sasuke looked at those limpid pools of desire, reason and stubbornness fled him. Sasuke moved in pure instinct as he slammed into his blonde, letting his warmth ran through his veins like lava... suffocating and burning.

He moved fiercely and furiously, his forehead creased in concentration while Naruto's heels dug into his back and his even fingernails clawed it.

"Sa...su...ke... I'm almost at my limit now. Just keep this up. Please…," Naruto breathed shallowly. It was just too much especially the friction between their sweat-slick bodies. The way Sasuke's was moving inside of him, grinding their hips together before slamming again. He bucked his hips, slammed it against Sasuke's, desperately meeting his eager thrusts; desperately wanting to increase the intense white heat.

"...to..." Sasuke half-moaned and buried his face against Naruto's shoulder junction. He sunk his teeth into that taut flesh as they reached the pinnacle of their passion.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked after awhile.

"I wanted..." _to feel human again_, he wanted reassurance from the proof that made him stay human, "you. I missed you." _I missed my heart_. He wanted to hear its sound to know it wasn't dead. And the only person who could make his heart beat so loudly, it was deafening, was the man beneath him: open to him and holding him in a tight embrace.

Sasuke yawned, exhausted from the mission and their romp. Naruto smiled and kissed him gingerly, "Go to sleep. I'm going back to work now."

Sasuke nodded.

_I'm human._

**-SasuNaru is love- **

After that day, Sasuke and his cell went back to doing missions-from recovery to assassinations for the next two weeks. However, the memory of that angelic leftist was still there at the fringes of his mind brushing his consciousness and visiting his dreams. Whenever he got home, he tried to get as much sleep as he could and eat as much as his decreasing appetite would allow.

On one particularly sultry day, Sasuke had emptied his stomach into the toilet bowl before he left to meet his team for a two-month recon mission.

Sasuke frowned at the discomfort the heat was making him feel. His inside was cold and so was his sweat but his skin was hot. His frown deepened as he wondered when had the world started spinning fast. And the blueness of the sky filled his entire vision before darkness consumed him. Somebody had turned off the light switch was what he thought.

Few heads turned as they heard a 'thud' sound and a patrolling chuunin arched an eyebrow when he recognized who had just collapsed. It just couldn't be. No fucking way.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Konohamaru looked up from his work as Naruto walked in his office and smiled in sympathy as he saw the older man massaging his temples.

"Damn the elders for giving me a headache," Naruto muttered as he sat on his chair, leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Um...," his secretary started hesitatingly.

"What?"

"A word from the hospital came..."

"I don't remember having any appointments with the hospital today."

"You don't have one actually. It's from Sakura-san. She said an unconscious Sasuke was rushed to the hospital."

That had jolted Naruto into sitting properly. He was half out from his chair and was ready to flee to the hospital when he saw the piles of paper waiting for his signature, the same papers which were needed to be sent within an hour, he knew that just as he knew Sakura would treat Sasuke well.

Konohamaru knew the hokage was torn and although he hated it when Naruto used his clone to do the paperwork he had no choice. A clone was better than having a very distracted Naruto sign documents.

"Why don't you create a clone to do the signing while you go there to make sure he's alright?"

Naruto's eyes grew big as saucers and glistened with unshed tears, "I'm touched, Konohamaru."

In a blink of an eye, a clone appeared while the real one disappeared simultaneously.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Over-fatigue!" Naruto repeated in surprise as Sakura informed him of Sasuke's state. "B-but he eats and rest well every time he's...", he trailed off. What if Sasuke didn't eat or rest when on missions? After, he spent most of the month on mission rather than at home.

Sakura smiled as she reassured her dear friend, "don't worry. He just needs rest. That's all."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Captain's late," Ken said as he took a long drag from a cigarette.

"He'd never been late," Hiko added as he balanced a kunai on his right pointer finger. It was a standard operating procedure on their team to send word when one of them would be late.

Ken crossed his arms and feigned serious pondering before he stated matter-of-factly, "He must have his hands full and forget the time."

Judging from that lecherous grin, the other two knew what he was thinking.

"Don't be ridiculous," Yanagi scoffed. "Captain might be hor-" she coughed, "amorous but he won't jeopardize any missions."

The two men looked her.

"Especially important missions," she added. "The hokage won't allow him."

"To them there's a very thin and blurry line between work and personal affairs," Hiko argued. It was more like the truth rather than his opinion. After all, how many times did Sasuke came back to Konoha from missions earlier than expected? How many times did he demand his team to execute missions within the time he provided making them the fastest ANBU team? How many times did the hokage take long lunch breaks or skipped work for short time? How many times did he cause uproar among his ANBU guards and in the administration building with his sudden disappearance only to find him in Sasuke's company? Too many times. Too many freaking times.

It was ridiculous to see them acting like newlyweds or teen couple who needed to see or be with each other everyday yet at the same time amusing.

"He won't do that," he finally stated. Even Ken agreed. They knew their captain well enough to believe he won't be careless and irresponsible.

"So why's he late?" Ken asked again.

A whirl of leaves appeared near them and they expected to see their captain.

The one who appeared was Uchiha alright but it wasn't their captain. It was Yuuzuki and he had his team with him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

As Sasuke was slowly surfacing to the state of consciousness, the first thing that registered on his still fuzzy mind was the heavy antiseptic scent in the air. When he opened his eyes, he blinked a few times to adjust to the brightness and to find his eye focus.

"You're awake," he heard someone said. He turned his head to the left to see Akemi pouring water into a glass and offering it to him.

"The mission?" he croaked.

"Another team was dispatched to do it. Aniki's."

"Wh- How did I end up here?" he asked, still looking disoriented.

"You collapsed on your way to meeting your team."

His mind started working on that fact, breaking it down. He collapsed meant he had been unconscious and vulnerable. And he was on his way to meet his team when it happened. That meant he collapsed in public!

The realization was like a slap on his face. It was so embarrassing. Uchihas don't collapse especially in public. What would people say about the clan?

"It's humiliating actually," Akemi said, agreeing what his father was thinking. "But you should hear rumors going around. The worst has it that you have a terminal illness."

"Really?" His tone was sarcastic. He combed his hand through his hair, "how long had I been asleep?"

"Two days."

"And chichiue?"

Akemi arched an eyebrow but before he could answer, Naruto came in. The lad gave his otousan a reassuring smile before he left. He didn't want to be there when his chichiue would clobber his otousan for being stupid and careless as what his blond father had accused the other to be.

Sasuke quickly leaned just as Naruto swung his right fist towards. But though he managed to evade it, his skin tingled at its strength.

"I don't know what your problem is but I'm going to beat it out from you," Naruto growled. He was worried at the same time mad that Sasuke won't tell what troubled him. If asking sweetly and politely won't do which obviously didn't then he'd resort to their usual method- beating the crap from each other.

Naruto lunged forward ready to grapple the idiotic bastard in front of him and squeezed the answer and he was sure he could do it. The next thing he knew his breath was knocked out from him as he was slammed and tightly pinned on the bed. But he had no plans to succumb to the strength above him. He wanted answers and he'd get it by hook or by crook.

He struggled to free himself. He struggled some more then stopped as he felt water drops falling on his face, wetting them. Was there a leak from the ceiling above? He looked up only to find his husband's face hovering above him and he was crying silently.

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke pressed his forehead against Naruto's.

"That mission almost a month ago..."

_He finally reached the bomber who looked at him innocently, "are you here to stop me, mister? Then you have to kill me."_

"There were ten bombers. All but one was as adult."

_A child! was his first thought as Sasuke saw him. He had innocence draped over his face yet his eyes were anything but that._

"He was a child, Naruto," he sobbed brokenly. His tears falling like rain. "I know age doesn't matter but dammit! I feel shit. I feel..."

And because Sasuke's grip was now loosened, Naruto eased his hands away and held Sasuke's trembling form. He embraced him tight wanting to absorb the pain and guilt his love was feeling. He understood that being an ANBU was painful because he was once a member of the organization. Now he finally understood why Sasuke had been desperate and rough when he made love to him that time. Sasuke was trying to confirm his humanity; trying to find redemption and forgiveness. And because there was no other thing he could do but comfort, he whispered, "I'm sorry that you had to go through that; that you're going through this. I'm sorry."

But Sasuke wasn't through. He hadn't gotten to the part why sleeping and eating were difficult for him recently.

"Most of the time I see him in my dreams and more often than not he would morphed into Kisho."

"Kisho?" a confused Naruto repeated.

Sasuke nodded.

"_I wouldn't mind dying today. Today is as good as any day to die," he said. When he said that he looked resigned to his fate. He accepted it for reasons nobody knew. It was heartbreaking and disturbing._

"The child was in the same age as Kisho. Hell, he was as tall as Kisho, Naruto."

"Oh god! Sasuke..." Naruto realized that Sasuke felt like he had killed Kisho. In a way, he killed Kisho every time the boy morphed into their child in his dreams.

Sasuke felt like he was so close to insanity and it scared him. The dreams were driving him mad and he was spiraling towards depression. He was falling towards a crevasse.

"Don't let me go, Naruto." _It was a heartfelt request. Hold me tight and don't let go. Don't let me slip away from you._

"Of course I won't. I can't, remember?" Naruto replied softly. _If you have to fall, then I'll fall with you, holding you… never letting you go._

And Sasuke continued crying, this time against Naruto's shoulder. He cried all his guilt, fear and self-loathing. He cried until his chest and eyes ached. He cried until his tear ducts were as dry as desert.

"Sasuke, you will never become a killing machine. I won't let you," Naruto swore fiercely. He definitely won't let his subordinates, be them jounin, chuunin or genin turn into killing machine.

Even when Sasuke had fallen asleep, Naruto stayed and continued hugging him. However, he created another clone to do something for him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Sasuke woke up, Naruto smiled at him then said, "let's go somewhere."

And they disappeared in a poof and appeared in a swirl of leaves at a lake somewhere in the village forest.

Sasuke's eyes widened a bit as they fell on a little mound. There was a handmade cross at the center and a ring of flowers hanging on it.

"Boys his age would definitely like toys so I buried two there as a substitute."

"Naruto..."

"Go on. This was Sakura's idea actually. She said this might help you."

The other man nodded and approached the grave to say a silent prayer. And as he did so, he felt lighter and he swore he heard a voice in the wind saying "_Good day to you too, mister."_

At the end of that day, Sasuke found acceptance and peace.

**TBC**

* * *

Hmmm... 


	50. 優しい恋

**Kyaa The 50th chapter. This is the longest fanfiction I have written so far. Knowing that I have a very short span of interest and attention, I'm very surprised that I still hadn't dump this fic. But what's there to be surprise. I manage to come this far because in your own way, you guys gave me the strength to continue. Your warm reviews always give me inspiration. So with flaming youthful passion, let us walk down this SasuNaru road we have chosen together. Thank you very much.**

**------------------------ horizontal bar still doesn't work ---------------------------**

**Chapter 50: Gentle, sweet love**

During moments when she was just sitting on the teacher's desk while her students were doing their seatwork, her eyes would wander to look outside because beyond the stone walls curling around Konoha and beyond the lush forest was her loved one risking his life and all she could do was to wait for his return.

She didn't have to look at the calendar to know that Yuuzuki was coming home that day. She could simply tell judging by the excitement and dread which were increasing every day -excitement because she would see him again and dread because she kept on thinking that they would be ambushed on their way home.

She finally understood what her father felt every time her silver-haired daddy was away from home. She finally understood why waiting was sorrow too.

_Come home, Yuuzuki._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yuuzuki's heart felt light while pain and exhaustion vanished the moment he stepped inside the village. He stifled the urge to skip the debriefing and just go to the academy to see her.

_I'm home, Yukina._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Just few meters away from their usual meeting place, Yukina paused to make sure she was presentable in Yuuzuki's eyes before she continued walking.

The place they chose as their rendezvous was an inconspicuous area within the premise of Konoha's fauna center. Although their relationship wasn't something to be ashamed of or to be hidden, both of them didn't want anyone, especially Yuuzuki's fan club to make a big fuss about it or make their relationship a public affair.

She stood in front of her boyfriend who was sleeping against a tree. But instead of waking him up, she watched him, admiring how the wind gently tousled his damp hair. She guessed he had taken a shower before he come her.

She let out a surprised gasp as a hand held her wrist. She almost forgot to breathe when her eyes met piercing blue ones.

"It's rude to stare," Yuuzuki stated half-seriously.

"It's bad for a ninja to be vulnerable," she countered with a smile of her own.

Yuuzuki arched an eyebrow, "are you a threat?"

Yukina let herself be dragged to kneel in front of the lad. "Do you want me to?" she whispered quietly.

"Yeah, I want you to," was his reply, eyeing that voluptuous red-rose lips.

Yukina grinned before her lips met Yuuzuki halfway. She shivered at the mere contact. It was too much yet not enough. She gripped his shoulders to steady herself as she felt her legs getting weaker. She was definitely turning into goo.

He pulled her while pressing closer. He missed her. He missed this contact. He missed her sweetness, the same sweetness that made his every fiber tremble in a way the adrenaline caused by battle couldn't.

They pulled away breathless and dazed. Yukina leaned her head against his chest while Yuuzuki's left arm wrapped her.

"Now that we have that out from our system..." he looked down at her, "how was the two-month mission?" he asked jokingly. Between both of them, Yukina looked more exhausted.

His girlfriend lightly slapped his chest and he flinched, a reaction that didn't go unnoticed by the girl.

"Dealing with hyper-active or restless kids is more or equal to ANBU missions." Then she touched his chest and the playfulness in her voice disappeared, "You're injured?" It was more of a statement than an inquiry.

"Just a hideous bruise and a pretty bad wound but no need to worry by tomorrow they'll be gone without a trace."

"But what if it would become a problem later on?" Sometimes, Yukina's worrying reminded him of his uncle Iruka too much.

Yuuzuki leaned against the tree, "If that happens, Mi-chan will do her thing."

"Ah～. I forgot that you're the brother of the rising medic-nin apprentice."

The lad chuckled, "Is there anything you want to do today?"

"Just give me a moment or two to rest and then we can start planning."

He nodded and let her shift to a more comfortable position.

In her exhaustion, she had fallen asleep and Yuuzuki didn't wake her up. Every now and then in his time observing her, he'd doze off. But even then his senses were in alert for anything that was a threat to his love. To protect her meant protecting his heart and his future.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yukina mumbled incoherently as the incessant shaking of her shoulder disturbed the only peaceful sleep she had since two months ago. She forced her heavy eyes open.

"Sorry to wake you up but it's already thirty minutes past nine."

That information jarred her to full awakening. "What?" she almost screeched. "What about dinner?"

"We could stop by somewhere but after that I have to take you home. I'm sure uncle Iruka is worried sick about you."

"I'm sorry about today. You should have woken me up."

"But you were sleeping deeply that I would feel like I'm an ass if I wake you up. Besides, I like watching you." He then smirked as Yukina blushed cutely. He stood up and offered his hand which she took it immediately.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It was almost around ten-thirty when the young couple reached Yukina's house. By then Iruka and Kakashi were sitting outside obviously on the look out for her.

"Yukina! Where in heavens were you?" a relieved Iruka cried out.

"Sorry for making you worried. I was just with friends and didn't notice the time until sometime past ten. Then Yuuzuki and I bumped into each other and he volunteered to walk me home."

It was only then did the two notice that there was another presence.

"Hello," Yuuzuki greeted pleasantly.

"Yuu-kun, we didn't know you're there," Iruka added sheepishly.

Kakashi nodded while his eye took the shape of an inverted U as he smiled cheerfully. "Sorry for causing you trouble," he added.

"Don't mind about it," was the lad's reply. "I'm leaving now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Iruka and Yukina bid in chorus.

"Yuu, can you accompany me somewhere?"

He could have refused but Kakashi was looking at him in a way that made refusal an insult so he nodded. And the two disappeared leaving the impression that they went somewhere far. But contrary to what Kakashi's family was thinking, they were just at the apartment building's rooftop.

Kakashi leaned against the railway while eyeing the lad who was trying not to fret. "You and my daughter are bumping into each other a lot," he commented casually.

"Konoha became a smaller place," was Yuuzuki's automatic reply. Once the words registered in his mind, he mentally kicked himself. He knew the man in front of him was considered as one of Konoha's geniuses and one of the most perspective men too and yet here he was automatically trying to convince Kakashi that there was nothing going on between him and their daughter.

Kakashi looked more amused than insulted at the blatant lie. "Or you're dating," he supplied. He smiled when the boy hang his head to hide his blushing face but no words of denial or confirmation came from him but his flushed face was enough. He tapped his left cheek and asked, "How long have you been dating?"

"Four months," he replied quietly.

The jounin arched an eyebrow, impressed that they were able to hide such relationship from the public for that long.

"Yuuzuki?"

"Yes?"

"Iruka and I don't mind who Yukina is dating as long as the guy won't do anything that would merit our killing him."

The young Uchiha knew Kakashi was serious and was giving a warning.

"I'll take care of her," he said just to reassure the other man. He may not look like it but he knew the older man wanted to hear it.

"I trust you but that doesn't mean she can come home past ten thirty."

"I'm sorry about that."

Kakashi nodded, "I want her to be home by ten and she come home later than that, I want you to send a word."

"Clear."

Now that things were settled between them, Kakashi was back to his cheerful and pervert self. He whipped out his favorite book and said as if he was offering his favor, "I'll teach you the basic of pleasure first."

"P-p-pervert," Yuuzuki said as his face became as red as tomato.

"This is preparation not perversion. This will be useful in the future. As Yukina's father-"

"S-shut up!" How he wished he could take those orange books and burn them. A lot of people would be happy if he did so.

Kakashi chuckled as he watched the lad growing redder and redder, totally amused.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Ne," Naruto started in a conspiratorial voice during their breakfast when Yuuzuki had left earlier to train with his team. "Don't you think Yuu is happy in an unusual way?"

"Perhaps he overloaded himself with sweets as usual?" Miki suggested quickly.

Naruto shook his head, "it's different from his saccharine-induced happiness. It's more like... ah..." he trailed off trying to find the right term. The aura the boy was emanating was way too familiar. As if he-

"…is in love," Akemi stated helpfully.

Naruto's chopstick cluttered to the floor. That was the word he was looking for to describe Yuuzuki's aura and that goofy smile that seemed to appear more too often.

Sasuke looked taken aback when big blue and watery eyes gazed at him. A pouting Naruto said, "Sasuke, our Yuuzuki is now grown up and all."

Kisho giggled.

Before Sasuke could say anything, the tearful Naruto was replaced by a mischievous one.

"Any idea who is she?" Naruto continued.

The three siblings shook their head at the same time. Four pair of eyes looked at Sasuke.

"No idea," he replied. He only heard of rumors in the ANBU circuit about Yuuzuki dating someone. But since there was no confirmation from Yuuzuki and the boy looked more interested in his profession, the rumors died.

And Naruto's mischievous grin grew wider as he suggested, "Let's stalk him for an hour or so. I'm sure they'll go out today."

Silence was the only reaction he got from his family.

"It's a good way to improve and test one's stealth," he added convincingly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "don't cover it up with that."

"Love to but I promised to meet Makoto," Kisho said.

"Team training," Miki said and even if she wanted to she couldn't skip the training because her sensei, Mao would punish her more than such act deserved.

"Mission," Akemi said.

Disappointed, their blond father pouted, "You guys aren't cooperating."

Sasuke flicked his right ear, "Dobe, you're acting like a jealous mother."

"Of course not," he denied fiercely. "How about it, Sasuke?"

"Not interested."

Naruto remembered something from their childhood. He chuckled before he put on a worried look as he voiced out his worries.

"Is she beautiful?"

Sasuke knew where this was heading. He won't fall for such trap. Anyway, he knew the girl was beautiful. It was innate for every Uchiha to have fine taste for beauty.

"Would she be an ordinary girl?"

No, probably not. Uchihas were and never would be attracted to anything common or ordinary.

"Is she a lesser ninja?" Naruto took a sideway glance at his spouse and could feel his resolve crumbling at such question. "From what clan she belongs."

Yes, Sasuke was curious with her identity.

"Is she suited for him?"

Sasuke wanted to know that too.

"Is she an opportunist?"

Hmm... That was his greatest fear- for his children to be used by some social climber or gold-digger.

"Is she deserving of the title as the wife of the heir of the Uchiha clan and inevitably the clan's right hand?"

It was too early to think of Yuuzuki and marriage but what if...

"Or-"

"I got your point, dobe."

Naruto grinned and flashed a v sign to their kids who shook their heads in amusement. "Don't tell Yuu," he warned.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

That was how Naruto, who dumped his work on his clone, and Sasuke ended up following their eldest. Naruto didn't feel any remorse and seemed to be in an all-out mode while the same thing couldn't be said to the ANBU captain who seemed to look guilty every minute.

They watched as the young Uchiha entered the fauna center. There was only one person they knew who was working at that place.

"He's dating the Yamanaka girl!" Sasuke asked.

"If that's the case then it's bad," Naruto stated truthfully. They could imagine Ino being happy about it. She'd gloat over it and she'd rub it on Sakura's face. Then their not-so-friendly rivalry would start once again.

"Did I make you wait?" they heard a very familiar melodious voice asked.

They peeked through the leaves of the tree they were hiding. Unfortunately, Yuuzuki had moved so the two were out of their line of sight. Sasuke and Naruto knew they had to move to their left but they had to do it slowly as not to rustle the leaves. After long torturous moments of moving slowly, they finally got in position. Of all people, they hadn't expected it to be Yukina. Not because the girl was ordinary but because they weren't so acquainted with each other. In every gathering they had, the two teens barely talked with each other much less glanced at each other's direction.

Naruto was about to screech when Sasuke clamped his mouth with his hand.

"Usuratonkachi! You're gonna give us away," he hissed. "Now that we know, let's pull out."

The blonde peeled his hand, "I want to know where they're going."

"Didn't you hear? They're going to watch movies."

"Oh," the blonde said eloquently

And just to make sure that his dobe wouldn't follow the young couple anymore, Sasuke grabbed his hand as they left the place.

-SasuNaru is love-

"Does it disturb you?" Sasuke asked the silent Naruto as they walked the streets. He had expected Naruto to blabber on their compatibility or something instead of staying quiet.

"No, of course not," the blonde said, "it's just that I was reminded that," accusing eyes were then focused on him instantly, "it's been eons since you ask me on a date."

Sasuke smirked, "so you're thinking about it too. Then shall we go on a date now?"

"Now?" Naruto echoed. He quickly recalled his to-do list for the day to check for any tasks aside from reading reports and desk work.

Sasuke trained his alluring black eyes on him and said, "Is it bad?"

"No, I'm free," he said because he could trust his clone to do the deskwork.

They were about to leave when a chuunin appeared beside them.

"Naruto-sama, a red-cord letter came from Snow country," the chuunin informed him.

Naruto stifled the urge to sigh. Red cord meant the letter content was something very serious and needed immediate attention.

He nodded, dismissing the chuunin. "Sorry but I have to go," he said, trying not to sound so disappointed, "let's move our date sometime this week, I promise."

Sasuke nodded and grabbed his wrist, "you forgot to seal your promise with a kiss." He immediately gave a surprised Naruto a soft but quick kiss.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When night enveloped Konoha and everything had fallen in silence and lethargy, Sasuke would sit on the rooftop, always finding relaxation and solace. He leaned back on his elbows and stretched his legs in front of him. But instead of thinking of nothing, he thought about Yuuzuki. He didn't mind that his son's girl was no other than Yukina it just came as a bit of surprise considering that those two were less than an acquaintance.

He sighed, feeling the tug in his heart every time he remembered that his son was now dating. It was almost like yesterday when the boy had gotten sick for the first or when he had hold him in his arms, presenting him proudly to his parents. Naruto was right. Yuuzuki was now grown up and all and… he sighed.

Later on, Naruto joined him. And somewhere from a distant an owl started hooting while the cicadas started their least appreciated summer concert.

Sasuke took the offered cup of his favorite ice cream, its coldness contrasting the humidity of the night and the hotness of his skin. Beside him, Naruto started licking his popsicles.

If there was something Naruto hated about summer, it was eating ice cream. With the way it quickly melted, it deprived him of savoring its taste and yet here he was eating or to be exact licking his share.

He took a sideway glance on his spouse who was staring at the infinite darkness. Perhaps the latter had seen something that made him forgot about his spoonful of ice cream that was halfway to his mouth until a drop fell on his yukata. Without thinking much, the dark-haired man dipped his head to lick the offending drop.

Another thing Naruto hated about summer was those times when summer heat messed his mind and made him think that all of Sasuke's gestures were acts of seduction. He watched as Sasuke's tongue darted out before retreating. He wondered what it would be like to feel that flexible muscle leaving burning trails on his skin or moving inside again. That thought alone made his skin tingle and he groaned. He took the paper cup and wooden spoon from those nimble and calloused hands and placed them somewhere, to be forgotten.

"I can't help it," Naruto said, as if it would explain everything before latching his lips on Sasuke's.

Sasuke let his mouth to be plundered and his tongue to be dominated by Naruto's. His yukata slipped, showing his right shoulder and Naruto voraciously attacked the exposed skin, grazing it his teeth.

Unable to maintain their position especially when his strength was being sapped by the blonde's fleeting caress, the dark-haired man laid down taking his wife with him.

"Dobe, now you've got to agree that yukata and kimono are the best for this kind of stuff," he said with the last word being gasped as the blonde took his left nipple into his mouth.

He quivered as Naruto's hands moved lower and he was reminded with crystal clear blue sky and sweltering sun. He felt like summer had enveloped him in its deepest folds, showing him its darkest secrets and mysteries.

The reason why summer was his favorite was because it was the time of the year when Naruto was most eager in indulging in pleasure. He would even go as far as saying summer was Naruto's mating season.

All his thoughts sublimate and his brain shut down as pleasure crashed against him in one humongous wave.

Naruto was pleased with himself as he saw Sasuke's reaction. He ran his pre-cum and saliva covered hands against the area between Sasuke's scrotum and anus, applying pressure eliciting wonderful sounds from the man beneath him.

Sasuke's vision blurred into rainbow colors as his length was engulfed by Naruto's hot mouth. Everything about him was focused on the movements of the blonde's teasing fingers and his skillful mouth that he could no longer hear the owls or the cicadas and the moans that spilled from his mouth were faint. He didn't even know that he had climaxed until he found his soul slowly floating back to his flushed body.

But Naruto was not yet done with him. He wanted to hear more of those sinful sounds that came from his spouse so he dipped his head and this time it was his tongue that was applying pressure for external stimulation on his perineum making the dark-haired man gasped while his fingers plunged into his blond hair, gripping them. The blonde could see Sasuke's manhood coming to life and twitching. The urge to have that in him grew so strong it had become harder for him to ignore.

In a flurry of pale limbs and cloth, Naruto found himself against the roof and his yukata parted exposing him. He buried his hands into Sasuke's dark locks as Sasuke started nibbling his collarbone before giving it one rough licked.

"I don't think I could go easy on you tonight," Sasuke whispered huskily, his eyes glazed with desire before he plunged into Naruto who gasped both in pain and surprise while he arched his back exposing his neck. Sasuke left as many hickeys as he could on that exposed column while he let Naruto adjust to his fullness.

Despite his warning, his thrusts were slow but deep and hard. There was no reason to hurry towards the pinnacle of their passion. Although the goal was their completion, they weren't after it. They just wanted to feel each other in the most intimate way while savoring the sensation of having each other's body pressed against their own while moving to their rhythm.

Naruto opened his eyes to stare at the clear evening sky. It was just like a big black crystal dome spangled with glinting diamonds. It was beautiful and perfect just like the way Sasuke was moving inside him.

"Sasuke, the stars…" he breathed, "they are beautiful." They looked so closer and bigger. He unwrapped his left arm from Sasuke's shoulders and lifted it towards the sky, wanting to grasp them.

"Ne, look at the stars," Naruto said.

"I am," Sasuke replied. He could see the heavenly bodies because they were being reflected in the dark blue pools of love and desire. He wanted to bring his wife there. Badly.

"Fly me to the moon," Naruto started singing between pauses whenever Sasuke drove inside, "and let me play among the stars..."

The dark-haired man couldn't help but let out a throaty chuckle. Now that his wife was singing while he was writhing in wanton, it was inevitable for that song to remind him of tonight.

_Let me see what spring is like  
On Jupiter and Mars  
In other words hold my hand  
In other words darling kiss me _

When they reached their apex, everything burst into glittering dusts and all Naruto could think was how breathtakingly the stars were behind his eyes while Sasuke could only hear the blonde's singing voice echoing in his head.

_Fill my life with song  
And let me sing forevermore  
You are all I hope for  
All I worship and adore  
In other words please be true  
In other words I love you _

**TBC**

**------------------------ horizontal bar still doesn't work ---------------------------**

Considering that this is the 50th chapter, I decided to insert SasuNaru lemon and with one of my all-time favorite songs thrown in. hehehehe


	51. 切な夕立

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC , OCs and unbeta-read**

**Naruto belongs to his creator. -grins-**

**As usual, a heartfelt thank you to guys for still being here.****

* * *

****Chapter 51: Painful downpour **

Naruto unblinkingly stared outside from his office window, waiting patiently. For once, he wasn't pressured to look at the reports gathered on his desk. His work for the next three days was to attend a convention bigger than the annual economic summit he attended.

This event was where world leaders gathered to discuss a lot of important matters concerning diplomacy and the world at large. And considering that the participants came from different countries, one could assume that it would be fun to mingle with them. But no, it wasn't, in Naruto's opinion. Most leaders were pompous asses who were all self-centered while others were too boring. But Naruto wasn't too worried about getting bored because Gaara, Sumaru, and Yukie were attending too. But if things would get worse, he could create a shadow clone to substitute him. The only problem was that Shikamaru, who would be one of his companions, wouldn't allow him. He was certain of that.

Speaking of companions, the elders had taken the liberty of choosing his escorts because being a shinobi village, the host country won't send an entourage of guards for Naruto. That was the agreed arrangement between any non-ninja countries with the hidden villages.

He swiveled his chair around when he felt few people joining him. He knew these people were the elder's chosen ones. When his eyes landed on his companions, they almost popped out from their sockets.

He expected Shikamaru to be there because he was his assistant instead of Konohamaru who would assist Neji, the office-in-charge, during his absence. He also expected the elders to assign a medic-nin to his team and who would be better than Sakura? But he had never expected that his guards would be Sasuke, Kiba and Yuuzuki who were all ANBU captains. Did the elders really think he couldn't protect himself?

Naruto 'che'd. "I'm the hokage for Christ's sake," he muttered, pouting.

"That's why we're here. To protect you and prevent you from engaging in battle at all costs," Kiba explained. The blonde pouted more, in fact he wanted to sulk but decided not to. Instead, he produced six scrolls.

"These are the invitations," he explained while distributing it.

Yuuzuki looked at the item and noticed the Konoha logo, "Excuse me for my rudeness, hokage-sama, but isn't this our very own scroll?"

Their hokage chuckled, "actually, there's only one invitation and since right now it is the most coveted item for missing-nins, bandits, terrorists and leftists, I decided to leave it here and..." he trailed off as he saw understanding dawning on them that those scrolls when opened together would summon the invitation from wherever Naruto hid it.

"But why so many?" Sakura asked.

"There are only three. The rest are fakes so the scroll you have could either be of the two."

"I see. Another precaution," Yuuzuki said quietly.

The blonde looked at them seriously as he was about to give them an irrevocable order, "those scrolls are yours to protect even at the cost of your life. Don't give it to anyone even to your comrades or me, understood?"

"Crystal," they replied.

Naruto stood from his chair, "good. Let's go."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The receptionist of the Green Dawn inn seemed to have almost forgotten to breathe as he gaped at the gentlemen and their lady companion. And although the blonde wasn't wearing clothes that would give away his position, she knew who he was just as she could tell by the weapons his companions were carrying that the maskless gentlemen were ANBU members. Luck was shining down on her and her brothers. This was their opportunity to rewrite their destiny.

With a grin that wouldn't look too eager or predatory she catered their request for rooms. After taking care of their needs, she went to inform her two brothers and her younger sister.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto sighed as he submerged his body into the hot water. "Sa-ku-ra-chaaan," he called out to his friend who was also soaking in the women onsen just on the other side of the fence. "If the loneliness is too overwhelming, you could join us," he suggested making Kiba and Yuuzuki snicker.

"Naruto," the kunoichi replied in a warning voice.

"Or," he giggled, "I could join you there in my female version." He was about to transform when Sakura's voice rang in the air.

"Or you could just drop dead," she half-shouted as she threw the biggest wooden bucket she could find. She grinned in sadistic victory while her inner self pumped her fist in the air as she heard the resounding thud of the bucket hitting the target.

"You're troublesome as always, Naruto," Shikamaru muttered while Kiba and Yuuzuki chuckled.

"It hurts a lot," Naruto murmured as he rubbed the growing lump on his head.

"Serves you right, dobe," Sasuke said in his usual indifferent tone.

The blonde was about to retort when a lanky man approached then. The man bowed as he introduced himself as the inn's manager.

"It is an honor to have the Konoha ninjas especially the Rokudaime here," he said. "There's a complimentary massage waiting for you." He trained his eyes on the grinning blonde, "Assuming that hokage's work is mostly paperwork then I'm sure a massage would be perfect for that lean body."

Sasuke snapped his head towards the man, ready to strangle him to death if he was flirting with his Naruto.

"My brother is an expert masseur and I'm sure it would feel nice if those skillful hands-"

"Are you implying that the hokage is a pervert?" somebody asked in a cold voice. The manager looked at the inquiring man and found himself at the receiving end of a cold death glare. He laughed sheepishly, "Of course not."

Kiba sighed at the man's obvious ignorance of the hidden meaning of Sasuke's words.

"Okay, I'll take the offer but," he gave a scowling Sasuke a glance, "I want a female masseur to do it."

That request seemed to make Sasuke relax a bit. He never liked anyone touching his wife but if Naruto wanted a massage from an expert then he preferred the masseur to be female rather than male.

Noticing that his four companions were getting out from the steaming water as well, Naruto looked at the manager, "I think all of us-"

"Don't get us wrong," Kiba said, "we only want to check the room first for anything suspicious." He then almost yelled for their kunoichi friend to hear, "Sakura, we need you to come with us."

"I'll be out in 30 seconds flat," Sakura answered.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yuuzuki frisked the masseur for anything before joining his seniors in searching the room. While they do that, Sakura was sniffing the massaging lotions and creams. Her training under Tsunade, experiences and exposures to different herbs made her nose sensitive to their scent. With just one sniff of any medicinal concoction, she could tell what the ingredients were.

Sakura nodded her head to them, telling her comrades that there was no poison or any harmful ingredient mixed. Satisfied with the results of their search, Sasuke nodded to the masseur. He approached Naruto and leaned forward t whisper, "If anything happens we're just outside."

"It's not like I can't do anything," the blonde responded, a bit annoyed.

"But we exist to keep you safe. I exist to protect you." With that he quickly brushed his lips against the blonde's ear before he left and the others followed.

Naruto sighed feeling nervous and all because of the way his guards were acting. This was the first time that he was being guarded like this and he couldn't help but feel that their actions were ominous.

"Please lay down here," the masseur said softly, patting the bed. The blonde nodded and lied down on his stomach.

"I'm going to start now," she announced as she covered her palms with lotion.

Minutes later, moans were slipping past Naruto's lips as his muscles started relaxing. He felt like he was floating towards heaven in a way different every time he and Sasuke were making out or making love and also different from when he was eating ramen. Tension was flowing out from his system and it felt so nice.

No matter how hard he tried to stay awake, he found himself slowly dozing off until he had fallen asleep.

When the masseur noticed this, she smiled. She dipped two of her fingers into a vial of translucent cream and traced characters on the blonde's back starting from left to right. After that, she bit his thumb and traced her blood on his spinal cord. When she was done, she leaned back and watched as the translucent characters glowed before it seeped into his skin together with her blood. She continued massaging for another twenty minutes before she stepped out to inform the hokage's guards who were waiting outside that their blond hokage was sleeping.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Thank you for coming," the manager bowed and his siblings followed suit as the hokage and his party was about to leave at the crack of dawn. As they leave, the four continued waving good-bye. When they could no longer see them, they siblings went back and walked into the hokage's room.

The two men started searching for strands of hair that had fallen to the floor or on the bed or the towel the hokage had used. The two hoped that luck would be kinder to them and let them find what they were looking for.

Their sister who was the receptionist was busy drawing on the floor a perfect circle then a pentagon inside that circle then an eye inside the pentagon using a black chalk. Their youngest sister who was also a masseur was drawing the same shapes but the character inside the pentagon was just an inverted triangle.

Almost four hours later, they were able to find five strands of blond hair and they placed each strand on the tip of the star's points. Their youngest sister started chanting as she marred her older sister's face with her blood. That would be their connection. Then the two started undressing before sitting on the center of their own symbols. Each of them was chanting different words.

The female masseur finished first. She had already activated the text she had trace on the hokage's back. Its purpose was to confine the blonde's consciousness at the same time act as a talisman to manipulate the demon to their advantage.

Her older sister finished chanting ten second after her and when she did, she cut herself with a family heirloom knife and flailed her arms letting her blood taint the circle and the pentagon. She pressed her blood-covered hands on the eye character, activating the whole seal. She found herself being thrust towards the direction where the hokage was and entered his mind easily.

Her brothers knew she was in control when her eyes became empty and she sat like a statue. The two men looked at each other and grinned. They could imagine the money they would receive if they'd be able to take the invitation from the hokage and sell it to the black market. The thought of cash flowing in like flood made them drool.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yuuzuki was known to be professional even with his chichiue. He never made a mistake of calling the hokage chichiue at wrong times until he saw him started falling from the branch he just landed. In that instant he had forgotten his role as just a subordinate.

"Chichiue!" he shouted, fear erupting within him. Adrenaline flowed through him thrusting him towards his father. It didn't even occur to him that Naruto was too heavy for him.

His shout had alerted the others and Kiba who was closest to Naruto caught him.

The two landed on the moss-covered ground gracefully and quietly. The rest gathered around them, worrying.

Naruto grinned apologetically, "I'm fine. Just sleepy. I can't keep them open... too heavy," he mumbled.

Sakura checked on Naruto immediately. "Nothing's wrong with him," she said minutes later.

"He was sleepy just as he claimed," Yuuzuki said.

"We have no choice as to take a rest, seeing that he is asleep already," Shikamaru said.

Sakura beckoned Sasuke to follow her. The two walked until they were no longer within Yuuzuki's earshot. The kunoichi looked at her friend expectantly.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

Sakura's left brow began to twitch. She wasn't going to be fooled by that innocent look.

Whenever Sasuke was assigned to be one of the shinobi to accompany Naruto during his business trips, the ANBU captain always shared rooms with the other guards while the hokage had his own. Although that was always the arrangement, it didn't mean that the rokudaime's quarters were of off-limits from him. He could join the blonde in there whenever he wanted. And she had caught them having done it too many times that it was logical for her to assume that the dark-haired man was the culprit.

Sasuke sighed then confessed, "No, I didn't join him nor did we have a wild romp anytime yesterday or even in the last 2 weeks."

When Sakura still looked at him unconvinced, he added, "you could check his body for any telltale marks." Kyuubi was kind enough to not interfere by healing the marks he made during such activities.

The kunoichi blushed and decided that it was enough. _I wonder what made him sleepy at this time of the day._

Thirty minutes or so later, Naruto woke up. He sat and stretched his body.

"Glad that you're awake," Shikamaru said, "let's go."

The blonde nodded, "just give me a moment." Then he rummaged through his pouch then his bag, getting panicky as he couldn't find what he was looking for. Shikamaru sighed. Naruto was getting more troublesome than usual.

"What now?" Kiba asked when worry and fear crossed the blonde's face.

Naruto laughed dryly while rubbing his hand against his nape. "I can't find the invitation."

The honest admission caused everybody to scowl.

"I think I dropped it somewhere." Noticing the dark looks his companions were sporting, he immediately added, "but we could retrace our steps. We have to."

He yelped in pain as he was slammed against a tree. He looked up, to reveal dull blue eyes to Sasuke who jumped away from him.

"He's not him," he said.

"Wh-how?" Yuuzuki asked, "we never had our guard down."

Naruto covered half of his face with a hand, chuckling. He peered over them through his fingers and said, "or one of you have it."

"Don't be an idiot!" Kiba snapped. "Why would we have it?"

The blonde shrugged, "it doesn't matter. I'll take it from you." With that said, his blue eyes glow red, his whiskers more pronounced and his fingernails grew. "It's either you hand it to me or die."

The youngest captain gaped. He had never imagined that he would fight against his father/hokage. Fight with, yes but against? He never even had dreamt about it. He knew this would be different from their sparring. Spars were like simulations of fights and his father was always holding back during those sessions. He gulped as he felt ominous red chakra flowing from the hokage and Yuuzuki knew Naruto won't be holding back because right now they were just enemies. The prospect of their inevitable clash scared at the same time excited him. This was his moment to test how strong he had become.

Everybody readied for the impending clash against their hokage. They won't hold back. They would fight him with everything they have and if things escalate to worse, they have to kill the hokage or die trying. But could they really kill Naruto?

They all scattered when Naruto lunged towards them.

Instinctively, the ANBU captains knew who the blonde would attack first because that was the basic knowledge of fighting - get rid of the weakest first. And among them, Sakura was the weakest because she was a medic-nin and medic-nins were healers rather than fighters. They save rather than kill and destroy.

The pink-haired kunoichi knew she'd be attack first but she was ready. Healing wasn't the only thing she learned from Tsunade after all.

Kiba intercepted the hokage on his way to their medic-nin.

"You're an obstacle," Naruto muttered in annoyance before he easily flung the man like a twig. With the brunette out of the way, Sakura took it as a moment to deliver a powerful punch.

Moss, stones and soil rose up as the blonde was pinned in the center of the crater with her fist.

When everything cleared, Naruto 'poof'ed into a wood and a second later it split apart - a result of the medic-nin's strength.

They all looked up when they heard an evil chuckle from one of the tall branches. Their opponent was looking down at them as he stood there arrogantly. And he had every reason to because he was more powerful. It was just a matter of time before he'd get what he wanted.

He fluidly leaned sideward letting Yuuzuki passed by, evading the lad's kick. Falling to the ground, Yuuzuki whipped out his wires and let the other end curl around his chichiue's, no, his enemy's body, restraining him. Naruto arched an eyebrow in amusement and mischief. He manipulated the wind around him to free himself and he grabbed the remaining wire and using it he threw the boy carelessly like he was just playing with a yo-yo.

Yuuzuki's back would have been pierced by the sharp wood jutting out from the trunk if he didn't maneuver his legs. With his feet pressed against the rough surface, firmly suspending him from the ground, he breathed fire. His flame quickly crawled on the wire but before it could reach its victim, they were snuffed out and the wire became nothing but tiny shreds. The youngest captain watched as the wind intensity settled between them.

Sasuke half growled when his punch was block at the very second. Naruto turned his head and smirked at him. The dark-haired ninja leaped back just in time to move away from the flying fist. The blonde followed him.

Suspended in the air, they exchanged blows. Sasuke had his sharingan activated and was ready to plunge his opponent to his genjutsu once the latter would look at him.

_Now's the time_, he thought as an eye contact was established. The blonde winked at him and closed his eyes.

What the fuck? How would his genjutsu work now? Sasuke twisted around and pushed himself from the ground to meet Naruto halfway. He sent his leg flying aiming for the blonde's head but Naruto, still with his eyes closed, blocked it with his own leg.

A drop of sweat trickled on to side of his face as he realized that Naruto had increased his speed. It was now almost inhuman. His sharingan could register each movement two seconds after it was executed. And by then the attacks were almost too late to evade. He found himself predicting which was difficult as the blonde was always known for his unpredictability.

His world burst in pain as he took a very strong direct hit which sent him crashing through six trees.

"Asshole," he muttered, gasping for breath. It wasn't 'dobe' or 'usurantonkachi' because the man he was fighting against wasn't Naruto but someone else- a parasite. He clenched his jaws together to push back the pain.

Naruto was about to walk towards the gasping ninja when he realized he couldn't move.

"Perfect," Shikamaru said looking please with the way his plan was working. With the trees' shadows he had created a stronger shadow bind.

Kiba didn't have to wait for his friend's signal to attack with one of his and Akamaru's finer combination technique. They realized they were tricked again when Naruto poof into thin air.

"A clone!" Kiba muttered displease.

"When did he?" Shikamaru asked. They were truly in a bad position. And it would get worse if they provoke the blonde in using his wind element and Kyuubi's powers to maximum.

"What the-" Kiba never managed to finish his sentence as he and Akamaru found themselves rising in the air before they were being whirled in a tremendous speed. Akamaru let out a whimper. When they were so high in the air, the whirlwind stopped and they were falling so fast, the gravity pulling the greedily that it was so hard for them to break their fall. Finally Akamaru managed to land on a sturdy branched and Kiba found the momentum to grab another one. But the effects of the wind on his muscles had caused them to go numb and Kiba fell once more. But his fall this time was short as Sasuke caught him.

"Shit," Shikamaru breathed the moment his view was filled with peering red eyes. Although he had quickly leaped away, the blonde managed to grab his ankle. One split second he was suspended in the air and the next he was on the ground wheezing in pain. It had been so fast that he wasn't able to escape or felt the moment when his back slammed the ground with a crashing force that the soil was molded in his form.

"Naruto," an angered Sakura screamed, "that is enough." She speeded towards him while taking out syringes of sedatives. She paused when the blonde who was few meters from her disappeared. She slowly turned her head to the right as she felt something lightly perching on her shoulder. It was a wickedly grinning upside-down Naruto whose whole weight was supported by his hand on her shoulder. Before Sakura could move, the blonde leaned to the direction where their backs were facing and slowly gracefully he arched his legs. That was the last thing she saw before a foot on her back sent her flying and tumbling on the ground like a ragged doll.

Yuuzuki saw the kunoichi hurling towards him but instead of catching her, he moved a bit so they won't collide with each other and he continued towards his target. His hands moved quickly and his flame foxes appeared and attacked Naruto.

But the blonde just walked through them while absorbing the flame into the orb in his hand.

He slammed that same orb into Yuuzuki's body sending him towards the trees.

Sasuke looked scared. Was that the deadly rasengan? No, it couldn't be. Rasengen sends enemies spiraling while Yuuzuki was sent in a perfect straight line. Could it be that it was just a chunk of compressed wind?

Yuuzuki slumped on the ground, blood trickling on the side of his mouth. His muscles were stiff and he found no strength left in him. That ball of compressed wind had caused him to be like this.

"Dammit," he muttered in frustration. Compared to his father, he was weak. He couldn't even hit him even once. Why was the difference between them so wide?

Shikamaru was more pressured to think of a good plan that would work against him. But there were so many things to consider like his unpredictability or his ability to manipulate wind, fire and plants. If the blonde would use his last two abilities against them, death would be the only thing that awaits them. He knew one thing for sure that they were just being toyed by the parasite inside their hokage.

"Think of something," Sasuke said, "I'll distract him from you." He had enough. Definitely enough.

"Hey," he called out in a loud voice. "If you want the invitation then I'll give it to you."

A pleased smile graced Naruto's malicious visage. Sasuke took the scroll, careful to hide the village symbol.

The blonde approached him and looked at it lying on the other man's palm. He looked at resigned obsidian eyes then nodded.

When tanned hand closed around the scroll, Sasuke gripped Naruto's wrist with his chakra-covered hand just to make sure his hold won't be broken.

"What are you doing?" Naruto demanded as he felt Sasuke's chakra. There was a tremor in his voice and Sasuke took it as a good sign for his little plan to work.

He smirked then pushed his head closer to Naruto's making the man leaned back. He then said, "taking back what is mine." With that he swooped down and took Naruto's lips.

Sasuke's other hand dug into those golden tresses, making sure the blonde won't pull away. However that was the least thing Naruto was capable of doing. The moment their lips had met his body was losing its strength rapidly because such intimate gesture caused wonderful prickling sensations. His body was surrendering and offering it self just like so many times. Against Naruto's wishes, his eyes closed and his jaw slackened. He shivered as he felt the other man's tongue moving and seeking.

Their companions gaped at them in surprise and waited in abated breath to see that moment when Sasuke would be sent hurling across the trees but it never came. To them, the blonde seemed to even press closer.

Across the distance at one particular inn, two brothers arched an eyebrow as they saw the blush coloring their controlling sister's cheeks.

Sasuke continued his delicious assault. The closer Naruto pressed against him, the more torrid his kisses became until he could feel the blonde gasping for oxygen. He traced his hot mouth from his jaw to his ear, leaving a wet trail. He proceeded in nibbling his earlobe before he breathed against it, "Aren't you going to join me, Naruto?"

There was seduction in his teasing voice that made Naruto's knees turn to jelly. He would have crumbled on the ground if he didn't throw his arms around Sasuke's broad shoulder.

"B-bastard," Naruto muttered before he pulled Sasuke's head and slammed their lips in another furious kiss.

This time, the other shinobis couldn't help but blushed. Yuuzuki looked away not only was he embarrassed at looking at his parents straining against each other but also because he felt his longing for his girlfriend got stronger. He missed her more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.

Back at the inn, the mind controller bit her lower lip drawing blood. Her control was breaking and she could see the fox demon getting restless and looking at her like a prey does to its predator. She had to gain back absolute control.

The female masseur seemed to have a hard time too but it wasn't something she couldn't do about. She started muttering a more powerful chant just to keep things to their advantage. She offered more blood, darkening the color of the light highlighting the circle.

"What's wrong?" her manager of a brother asked as he felt the desperation in her action.

"He's breaking free. Thanks to one of his companions."

Sasuke rained Naruto's jaw with light kisses before dipping his head to feast on the column of skin.

"Sasu...ke," Naruto rasped, his fingers gripping dark locks in urgency. "Kiss me once more. I'm falling to darkness again."

Sasuke leaned back and watched as blue eyes shifting from dull to clear.

"Sasuke..." he breathed. His eyes were wide with plea, desperation and fear. He didn't want to sleep in that forced darkness. There was something in it that made him see flashes of fights between him and his companions. The nightmare looked so real it scared him.

The dark-haired man gathered him in his arms and held him tight. "I won't let you." And he plunged both of them to the sea of pleasure, allowing them to be lost and to be unaware of everything around them.

By this time, the others had looked away and Sakura took the moment to start healing the team. Their eyes were pulled back to the kissing couple when a light burst beneath them.

"What's that?" Kiba and Sakura asked in chorus. Shikamaru took in the circle, the pentagram and the perfect eye. He wasn't mistaken. It was one of the magical symbols utilized by a nameless group. He had read about it one time and he had never thought he'd see one of the symbols. If his memory served him right, the small group had mysteriously perished almost hundred years ago. He wondered if whoever was using the symbol was a descendant or just someone who had found the group's teachings and studied it.

"Hey, Shika?" Kiba called out when the genius remained silent.

The other brunette lightly scratch his head then sighed before saying, "it's one of the magical symbols for mind control practiced by a nameless small group."

"Magical," Yuuzuki repeated almost in disbelief. They were fighting against such people? How incompatible and utterly inconvenient.

"Damn. How the hell did they manage to get Naruto?" Sakura asked. It looked like she and Shikamaru shared the same opinion on who were the culprits as they were the first they came in contact since they started on this trip.

"More importantly, how are we going to get rid of it?" Kiba wondered out loud.

Shikamaru shook his head, "the book I read didn't mention anything about that but Sasuke is doing a great job so far."

The Hyuuga leader looked at the couple and saw hands wandering lower and he snickered, "how far would they get before the spell is broken?"

Yuuzuki crinkled his nose at that. He was absolutely sure that he'd be the first one to walk away if their making out gets heavier.

"It won't be long," Sakura commented as the light outlining the symbol started falling like golden dusts being blown by the wind.

Both sisters let out a piercing scream while the floor beneath them cracked and the symbol disappeared. Naruto's hair burst into flame. The mind controller had just been rudely kicked out by Naruto and the thing inside of him. Mental exhaustion overcame them and they collapsed. Both brothers kneeled beside them. They knew their plan had failed and they were slowly embracing the fact that they could only be rich through hard work.

Sasuke stifled the urge to slip his hands under Naruto's tight black spandex and settled to grip the blonde's firm buttocks while pressing their growing erections together. He wanted more of this contact but reminded himself that this wasn't for pleasure but for saving Naruto from the parasite. He could hear his wife moaning at the back of his throat and continued sending them to dizzying heights.

Irritated that Sasuke wasn't stopping even though he was now okay, Naruto placed his hands against Sasuke's chest and pushed him away at the same time wrenched his mouth from his spouse's.

Sasuke looked at him, surprised and confused. "You're okay?" he asked with slight disappointment gracing his voice.

"I was trying to tell you that," Naruto said.

"Oh. I thought you were moaning."

Naruto blushed deeper, "I could have spoken if your tongue wasn't shoved in my mouth."

The other man smirked at his bluntness. The blonde looked embarrassed as he remembered he had other companions who, he was fairly certain heard what he said and them ravaging each other's mouth. With a sheepish smile, he turned around and froze. When did his nightmare become real? Was he still in that darkness?

_God, please no._

He couldn't look away from the damage he made nor could he close his eyes to blot the disturbing scene. He backed away trying to deny what was right in front of him. He had hurt them- the same people he sworn to protect even at the cost of his life.

Words of apology were about to tumble from his lips but he swallowed them back. They weren't enough. They could never be enough.

_What have I done?_

He leaned against the tree to help his shaking knees in supporting his weight.

Seeing the self-loathing and guilt in those blue eyes, Sasuke moved to comfort him.

"Don't come," Naruto said when the dark-haired ninja took a step forward. "I said don't come." He couldn't trust himself anymore from hurting them. Pushing them away was the only option. He gasped when strong arms pulled him against a warm chest. He smelled Sasuke.

"I told you not to come," he whispered.

"Like hell I would listen," Sasuke whispered back.

"You should because it wouldn't be long before you'll be murdered by me." He pushed Sasuke away from him and walked away. He knew it was better that way. If protecting them meant separating himself from them then so be it.

Sasuke gripped his wrist and whirled the blonde around with so much force it won't be a surprise if the latter dislocated few bones.

"Don't you dare walk away from me," the dark-haired man hissed, his eyes flaring red. He was irritated with how the blonde was treating himself. Must he always be so unforgiving and so hard on himself?

Naruto too was annoyed that his husband was making it so hard for him.

Shikamaru sighed. As troublesome as getting involved, he couldn't stand with the way his blonde friend was beating himself. "Hey, Naruto, you were being controlled so it's not like you really wanted to do it."

"B-but..." Why couldn't they understand?

"If you wanted you, you could have killed us with just a snap of your fingers," Kiba chipped in while flexing his arms testing his muscles.

"All the wounds you give us aren't something I couldn't fix within four hours," Sakura added too.

"And you made me realize how I still have a long way to go," Yuuzuki said. "Chichiue, next time we spar, fight me like that."

There were assurances from his loved one but Naruto couldn't see that because he was always like that. He threw his head back to laugh and when he looked at them there was a crazed look in his eyes.

"Are you masochists? Do want to die that much?" he asked, hysteria making itself known. "Why do you have to be like that? Why do you have to suffer for this shit? What-?"

His face snapped to the left and his hand automatically came to rest on his bruised cheek. The resounding sound produced by Sasuke slapping the blonde was so sharp that it made the others cringed.

"Get a hold of yourself!"

Naruto took a deep breath and took control of his emotions, locking the painful memories away until he was alone. When he looked at them, his face was schooled and void.

"Let's go. I don't want to be late for the convention," with that said, he started moving.

They looked at each other.

"It's pointless to go after them. They are defeated, after all," Shikamaru said. The rest agreed. They were no longer a threat to the hokage.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Despite Naruto's infamous unpredictability, Gaara could predict his friend just as easily as he could see past through his mask. So when he noticed that the blonde's smile was strained, he approached him during the leaders' banquet.

He leaned forward and whispered, "Walk with me somewhere." And he took a hold of Naruto's hand to make refusal a bad option. Once the blonde nodded, he half-dragged the other man and led him to the bricked walkway winding through the vast gardens.

"Why so gloomy?" he asked frankly.

"It's nothing, Gaara."

"It's something if it made you like this," he stated. Even his interaction with his companions seemed strained. "Tell me, Naruto." It was an order at the same time a plea.

He stopped walking halfway when he felt Naruto pressing his forehead against his back. He was about to turn around when Naruto's broken voice stopped him.

"Don't. Just let me borrow your back." And in a shaking voice, he narrated what had happened to him and his team.

"They don't understand the danger they're in every time I'm with them. What do they understand? They'd never completely grasp everything."

Despite Naruto's earlier request, Gaara turned and gathered him in his arms. Luckily, any guards weren't allowed in the premise so he didn't have to worry about an angry Uchiha making an appearance.

"Naruto, you also don't understand them," Gaara stated quietly. "They want to sacrifice everything for you because you're one of their precious persons. I thought you're the one who understand about these kinds of things the most."

The blonde shook his head.

"If you think about it, you'd know they understand you more than you think."

Naruto looked at his friend, "Whose side are you on?"

"Usually yours but right now, no one's."

Naruto snorted.

"Despite what you're thinking, you're worthy of their sacrifices. You're worthy," he said so quietly it was almost a whisper. He combed the golden locks with his hand before he let the blonde go.

Naruto looked at his fists and raised it towards the moon. He would protect his precious persons even from himself. Yeah, that was fitting.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Plagued by the day's event, Naruto didn't notice somebody had entered his room until the bed dipped under the said person's weight. The blonde's reaction was instant. He pulled one of the kunais under his pillow, twisted around and pressed the weapon against the intruder's throat, drawing blood.

"Sa-sasuke?" he breathed as his eyes met obsidian eyes and the weapon immediately slipped from his hand. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sasuke replied as he reached for his wife.

"No… don't," he said fiercely.

The dark-haired man cupped his face with hands and said so softly, "If you don't want me to hold you then you shouldn't have married me."

Blue eyes widened at such statement before he was pulled into a tight embrace. Sasuke lied down beside him, occupying the side of the bed Naruto never occupied reasoning that it Sasuke's to occupy if he wish to join him.

Tanned arms wrapped around the man's neck.

"Ne, Sasuke, thank you for breaking me free from the darkness. If you didn't, I would…"

"No, you wouldn't" he contradicted fiercely. "Even if your mind had completely been manipulated by some asshole, your heart and body still retained their memories. You could have killed us instantly with your powers yet you could only manage to hurt us. Your heart won't allow you to kill us. And your body… it recognized my caresses. I know you'd eventually break free sooner or later, I just made it happen earlier than you could."

Naruto just nodded his head. "I'd be lambasted when my critics would hear about the incident," he said. It was one of the rules that everything that happened during their travel would be recorded, especially their fights.

"If they hear it."

"You guys are going to break the rules?"

Sasuke nodded. They had agreed earlier not to mention the incident in their journal because they knew where their loyalties lay and it wasn't on the set of rules or on the councilors. He looked down and realized Naruto was fighting sleepiness. Was the blonde that scared to fall unto that darkness or to be plunged into his nightmares?

Soft lips brushed against tanned forehead in comfort and reassurance before Sasuke said, "Sleep, Naruto. I'll watch over and hold you."

The blonde pushed himself up to kiss Sasuke who kissed back with aching passion.

"Good night, dobe," he whispered as his wife settled above him, burying his face against his neck.

He felt the blonde's lips moved against his necks to inaudibly say familiar words and Sasuke smiled because he knew things were now okay.

_I love you, bastard._

* * *

This idea was born when I thought what if it was Yuuzuki against Naruto... Although their fight was just short at least I gave you the idea how Yuuzuki is still (quoting Echizen) mada mada da ne.

Next chapter: Ever since he trained under his aniki, everything comes eash for Akemi. He didn't have to work hard for anything until he participated in the Jounin exam. Even a genius had to work damned hard especially when the tides are against him. Next chapter: Clash of the prodigies. Please look forward to it.


	52. 天才対天才

I'm so not feeling well since yesterday.

Warnings and standard disclaimer go here. **

* * *

****Chapter 52: Clash of prodigies**

Ayame stood near the stadium where even though it was crowded, she would still be noticed by the person she wanted to notice her- Akemi. It wasn't that she had a crush on him. No, she still didn't like him because he was too talented and intelligent for her taste. She just wanted to make him acknowledge that although she had no skills in being a kunoichi she definitely had a talent for modeling. Yes, she was no longer a kunoichi. After their battle where the boy had shown his flame phoenix, great changes were made in their team. She had quit from being a ninja and became a model. She became popular instantly. Wataru, on the other hand, had volunteered to go back to the academy so he'd learn better. Akemi continued with his path and took the chuunin exam with 2 random people who had failed the previous exam. Of course, without a doubt the Uchiha became chuunin after that and now at the age of twelve, he was about to take the last set of jounin exam – combat.

Ayame took a haughty stance as she saw the boy with his two teammates walking towards the stadium. She knew they wouldn't miss her and posing as if she was being photographed for the front cover of a fashion magazine, she waited to be seen. But much to her irritation, the three didn't even glance towards her direction and she glared at them before she stomped off to cool her head.

"Are you sure the Ayame girl isn't stalking you?" Akira asked teasingly. Although he hadn't glanced her way, he could still see her thanks to his 180 degrees vision.

Ryouji chuckled, "It's more than coincidence that she's in places where you are."

"Whatever," was Akemi's indifferent reply.

The playful Ryouji clucked his tongue, "Don't be like that, Akemi. After all, you'll get married someday."

"But it won't be her."

"I wonder about that," Akira asked and arched an eyebrow when he received the Uchiha glare.

While the two continued to tease him about the girl-who-couldn't-be-a-kunoichi, he tuned them out and proceeded in planning on what symbols he'd used for his next jutsu. Although he would be up against a shinobi from the Hidden Village of Cloud whose reputation seemed to precede him, he couldn't find himself getting anxious. As far as he was concerned, he was ready. He was born ready.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The impatience and restless among the audience gathered increased more as the exam got closer to the last battle which was the main attraction. When Chouji's voiced thundered over the place announcing the last battle, a rush of excitement rippled through the crowd. This was what they were waiting for- a clash between prodigies.

"Aren't you disappointed that it isn't Kankuro's son against Akemi?" Naruto asked the Kazekage who shook his head. Whenever his nephew comes to Konoha or Akemi visits the Sand village the two dedicate most of their time at the training grounds sparring against each other. Gaara witnessed the spars too many times to be not disappointed. "Those two know each other's fighting habits so well enough it would cause boredom to settle over these people."

Naruto's reply was drowned out from the cheer that erupted the moment the jounin-applicants walked into the battle arena. Yuuzuki who was one of the visible ANBU keeping watched over the place, looked down to see his brother who looked as calm and serene as an undisturbed water surface would look. The lad didn't look overconfident but just confident of his skills and capabilities.

_Nice aura, ototou._

Below him, his girlfriend and his subordinates' lovers were squealing at Akemi's charms at the same time shouting battle suggestions that were too sadistically violent to be used in an exam combat. Rolling his eyes at their extremely high tension and blaming it on stress, he looked around and spotted his otousan who was also one of the guards dispersed in the crowd. Sitting on the front row were Kisho and his friends who he assumed were shouting encouragements. He also saw Miki and other medic-nins standing at the sides of the battle area. He looked at his brother again and mentally said, _we're watching you, Akemi so do your best._

Temari, who was now the referee of the fight, reminded them of the rules before giving them the signal to start.

The two shinobis started with taijutsu. At first, their movements were slow and their attacks weren't strong because both of them were assessing each other.

Almost a minute later, their tempo increased and so was the power of their offense. However they couldn't find an opening to deliver the blow and others began to wonder if this fight would be drag to a long clash.

Akemi increased his speed but even then Kumo managed to block his attacks so calmly as if he could read his movements. He almost faltered when he thought about that. He tried to look past those dark glasses for signs that indeed, he was reading his movements but found the lens were darker than he thought.

He leaped away to put distance between them and he regarded his opponent who stood quietly and serenely. The lad's face was devoid of any emotions as he patiently waited for Akemi to attack. But when no attack came he said calmly, "if you won't attack then I will." He moved forward.

The young Uchiha smiled while tapping his toes against the soil before he burst forward to meet Kumo. Few people made sounds of surprise and awe as Akemi became almost a blur.

What they didn't know was that such speed was just one-third of his real one. Being shorter and lighter than most boys of his age, Akemi realized he was at disadvantage. But instead of whining and sulking he decided to use it to his advantage. With his height and weight, moving fast would be as easy as ABC.

Kumo flipped back to evade a powerful kick to his face. He gasped as he heard a crack that was too loud for his ears. His hand automatically came up to his shades just as it shattered under the force of Akemi's attack. He was a bit shocked because his shades were never broken in any battle much less by an opponent. He then thought that perhaps this lad named Akemi was better than from the talks he had heard. Looking at him, he said, "impressive."

As their eyes came in contact, Akemi gaped. Temari too. The young Uchiha thought his movements were being read when in fact they weren't.

Kumo chuckled. "Is my being blind hurt your ego?"

Different reaction swept through the crowd at this statement.

"When we lost one of our senses, the others would make up for it," the Cloud shinobi explained. "And I sharpened my senses more. As long as you're within my three meters of range, I would feel, hear, smell and even taste you." He wasn't exaggerating when he said that. Of all of his senses, hearing was his sharpest. He could even hear the flexing of the muscles as if they were being shouted.

_The infamous Cloud zone_, Akemi thought. He knew he was at a disadvantage. Whether his attacks would be long-range or short-range it would be useless.

"Have you lost your fighting spirit now that you know of my disability? I don't need your pity," he almost snarled. For someone who was born blind, he always seeks a fair treatment. He didn't want to be pitied. He was tired of being pitied and being thought of as useless. He wanted to prove that even with his disability he could serve his village like everyone else.

To learn that a blind person could be as good as him or perhaps better hurt his pride at the same time amazed him. Kumo was better than some of the ninjas he knew. "Pity you?" he snorted. "I'm impressed that you got this far." He pointed at him even though his opponent won't be able to see it. "Despite your disability, I won't hold back!"

Kumo smirked, "just as I wanted."

Then he moved. He knew Akemi had an advantage when it comes to speed and was more powerful than him but the boy's heartbeat told him he was confused and troubled. He should be, because he had never fought a blind ninja before and he had no techniques to defeat him.

_How are you going to cope up, Akemi?_ Sasuke wondered.

Akemi crouched down, disappeared and appeared at Kumo's left side. He delivered a punch at the slightest opening when he screamed as his body shook greatly. With an effort he bounded backward. He could still feel his skin tingling unpleasantly.

"You almost got me there," Kumo commented. The boy had increased his speed once more.

Akemi looked up to see the zone crackling with whitish violet light.

"The reason why the zone is dreaded is because of the electric particles I created with my chakra. To be electrocuted… even if the charge is small is unpleasant, right?"

Akemi's hands leaped in a series of signs while activating his sharingan. The blind shinobi smiled at the rush of chakra that reminded him of a raging river.

The young Uchiha's flame phoenix appeared and attacked his opponent. But that wasn't the only technique he had summoned. Kisho and his friends held their breath waiting for-

"There it is!" they chorused excitedly. "The balls of hell."

The crowd cheered as balls of fire shot out from the ground and Kumo was forced to leap in the air and evaded the orbs at the same time careful of the phoenix. Suspended in the air, twisting his body gracefully made him looked like an acrobat rather than a shinobi. Unable to keep evading them, he did a hand sign and a wave of electricity exploded from him destroying the phoenix and the fireballs at the same time making everybody's hair stand a bit.

_My turn._ Kumo smiled before he started snapping his fingers.

"Shit," Akemi muttered as he scrambled away from the flashes of lightning.

"That's unexpected," Ryouji commented, getting more worried.

"I wonder what he's thinking," Akira said. They had known their friend to have a habit of fighting at the same time thinking of plans but to him, at that moment their friend seemed too strained to think.

"Uchiha looked desperate," Yuuzuki heard one man commented and he had to agree. But they weren't aware that it was in desperation that Akemi seemed to grow stronger and exceed his current self.

Akemi arched his back as a bolt of lightning hit him. He looked at the sky, his vision getting blurry. _Is there no way to beat him?_ He thought and in few seconds he heard voices.

"_Enjoy your combat," his otousan said last night._

"_Go and get wild," his chichiue said before the exam started._

"_When we meet again, you'll be a jounin," Yuuzuki told him in a light teasing voice during breakfast._

"_Niisan, it's not like you needed it but," Miki held a talisman for success, "during my mission we passed by a temple and decided to buy one for you."_

"_Niisan, remember what I said about beating you and aniki?" Kisho asked. "Until that time comes, you aren't allowed to be defeated by anyone."_

"_I pity the person who'll fight you," Ryouji said._

"_Victory would be a cinch. After all you aren't called as the master of the game for nothing," Akira added._

Wishes, hopes, expectations, prayers and trusts... he won't let them crumble. He remembered his Chouji-sensei's words.

_All problems have thousands of solution. But if you can't find them then make your own._

_Make my own. _

He'd make his own solution because that was what a master of the game does.

Before Kumo could snap his fingers, Akemi released a good amount of chakra which reminded the former of a volcano explosion rather than a raging river.

The crowd sighed at the sight of golden red dust floating beautifully in the air unaware that it was a genjutsu. A second later, all ordinary citizens and lesser ninjas slumped asleep while the others managed to release it.

Kumo wondered why the arena became suddenly silent. Was this due to the chakra his opponent released a second ago?

Neji nodded approvingly. The crowd with their cheering had helped the blind shinobi in detecting Akemi's position but now that they were asleep, Akemi had gotten rid of one of the disadvantages. The only obstacle that remained was the Cloud zone.

Akemi smirked. He made a hand sign and in a burst, his clones appeared. Naruto grinned at his son's kage bunshin.

Kumo concentrated. If he was right the number of clones was approximately around a hundred. He could hear everybody's heartbeats but the one who had the loudest was the one standing farthest from his left. He smiled and he made sure to pay attention to that sound for it will lead him to his opponent.

Sixty-five percent of the clones attacked and Kumo countered them with splendid with taijutsu and ninjutsu while moving towards the real Akemi. With a shout he focused a beam of electricity on the younger shinobi. He heard a poof and a sick feeling started pooling on his stomach.

He had been tricked. Perfectly.

Before he could do anything, he froze when he heard a whisper.

"It's over."

For once he was confused. How come he wasn't able to detect him? He got his answer a second later. He couldn't feel Akemi's chakra. His stealth was perfect but even still he should have heard his heartbeat, right?

"My maximum speed allows me to disappear from anybody's detection. But in your case it's a bit difficult."

"But you manage."

The Konoha shinobi nodded. "You said you could smell, hear, feel and taste me. That's because my scent is distinct but if I created clones and surround you with them..."

"Then your scent would become ordinary. And detecting you would be difficult and with your god-like speed it's impossible."

"Exactly," Akemi agreed.

"And to confuse me more you made me believe that clone was you. You moved in your maximum speed the same moment you created your clones."

"Don't use your chakra anymore. I have hundreds of fire shrapnel planted on the ground and they're hazardously sensitive to chakra that isn't mine."

Kumo sighed. "You win. You were, no, are splendid."

Akemi smiled. "You too. You made me work hard." He moved away and released his remaining clones and fire shrapnel.

"Akemi, don't forget to release the genjutsu on the crowd," Temari reminded him before announcing the winner. Most of the crowd looked irritated that they weren't able to follow the fight but no matter how they complained, it was useless. So they just had to content themselves to listening to those who witnessed it blow by blow.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The next afternoon, the result of the exam was announced. There were only eleven shinobis who became jounin. Five of them were Maki- Kankuro's son, Kumo, Akemi, Ryouji and Akira.

When the two new jounins stepped inside the Uchiha mansion, they were greeted with cheers and showered with confetti. The two stood in front of their respective kages, waiting. The two leaders nodded at then in recognition of their skills and talent and approval of their new status. After that they went to their parents.

"I almost thought you couldn't do it," Kankuro said teasingly as he clamped his son's firmly.

"Amazing performance," Sasuke commented as he tousled his son's hair.

Akemi growled and slapped the hand away. "I told you not to touch my hair."

"You did?" Sasuke teased and repeated the action making the others chuckled.

They all moved to the banquet room where a feast was waiting for them.

Being the wife of the host, Naruto ensured that the food and drinks were flowing. And the others' wives and Iruka helped him.

"You haven't eaten properly, Naruto," Iruka said as he entered the kitchen carrying empty plates.

"You should eat now," Temari told him.

"Just let me finish slicing this squid and-" he paused as the knife was taken from him.

"Leave the slicing to me," Tenten said with a wink and pushed the blonde away.

"But-"

Ino waggled her pointer finger, "no need to worry. We aren't strangers so there's no need to make things formal and we aren't really strangers in this house so we'll manage."

"But if you want to make things perfect, leave it to Hinata. After all being the wife of a clan leader too, she's used to this, right Hinata?"

Hinata smiled and nodded to Sakura. "Leave it to us."

Naruto looked resigned, "well if you say so."

"Yes, we say so," all of them chorused before they pushed Naruto out from his kingdom.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Past one in the morning, Tsunade and all male adults except Naruto were drunk and asleep. Kisho and his friends were sleeping in his room already. Akemi and his group were also in the former's room still talking. Yuuzuki and his age group were still awake but had retreated to his room. The teenage girls went to Miki's room if the squealing was any indication and then there was the loud chorus of 'no way' coming from that direction.

Yukina blushed as everybody gaped at her. It wouldn't be a surprise if few of them would probably hate her for dating Yuuzuki. She looked at them and gulped because the surprised look on their faces was now replace with predatory grins.

"Details!" they all chorused as they dove towards Yukina, wanting to squeeze all details from her.

While the teenagers were doing what teenagers as normal as them were doing, the wives were cleaning the banquet room as well as the kitchen.

"Here let me have it," Junko said, taking some of the blankets Naruto was bringing from him. The two then started draping it on everybody's sleeping forms.

"Sorry for causing trouble," Shino's wife said. Even though everybody's residences were near, they still ended up spending the night at the Uchiha mansion. They were too drunk to go home much less walked to the guest rooms.

The blonde chuckled, "no need to apologize. It's been awhile since everybody had as much fun as tonight and it's not always this place gets crowded."

After that he left to prepare the guestrooms and beds although something tells him these ladies would gather in one room and talk away while he and Iruka would spend the rest of the night together in one room.

"What are you grinning about?" Sakura asked as she joined him.

"Nothing. It's just nice to know that all the people I care about are here at my home," he replied, while straightening the beds.

Sakura nodded.

"When I was a child, I never thought to have such a big family much less a family." His head snapped backwards when a pillow hit him on his face, hard.

"What was that for?" he demanded while nursing his skin.

"You're getting depressing," Sakura replied then softly she added, "this family... it's your reward for staying strong and never giving up."

Naruto looked at her with wide blue eyes.

"Sakura-chan."

Once again, he was hit with a pillow.

"What now?"

"Because you're about to cry. Are you sure you're not drunk?"

The medic-nin smiled as the blonde laughed childishly.

**TBC**

* * *

Akemi isn't really arrogant. He just has this right confidence that can be mistaken as arrogance. I always pictured Akemi as someone similar to Sasuke but still retains his individuality. Everytime I think of Akemi, I'd say to myself "I want Akemi to be stronger and indepedent. Someone who struggles by himself while at the same time knowing that he can turn around and ask for support from his loved ones." I'm not so sure if I can really draw this kind of Akemi with words but I'm trying. And the reason why I'm talking about this is because... It's just a spurt of the moment. THanks. 


	53. 強い心

Hmm… I'm a bit late for this chapter so sorry.

To those anonymous reviewers: If you don't mind please leave your email address so I could reply to your reviews. I don't want to post the answers together with the chapters as it would take up space. Frankly, I always feel bad every time I won't be able to answer your questions. But if you don't like to give it, then it's okay. What choice do I have?

-----oo-----

**Chapter 53: Separation**

A year ago since her husband's death, Reiko- the beloved daughter of one of the powerful lords of Earth country had stop being alive. She had preferred to live in the past rather than moving on towards a future where her husband didn't exist. Time had forgotten her and she had forgotten it as well. She was untouchable by changes and she had become an apathetic observant of life.

Against her wishes, Renji, her older brother dragged her all the way to Konoha because he thought a new surrounding would be good for her. And as they walked down the busy streets of Konoha, Reiko never bothered to glance around. To her, everything had turned dull and uninteresting until her tangerine eyes fell upon someone. Her heart leapt in her throat and her time started moving sluggishly at first. She wasn't mistaken. Black hair, black eyes and pale skin.

"Hajime," she whispered reverently.

Renji looked down at his imouto to find life filling her once dull eyes. He followed her gaze and got his answer. The dark-haired man who had just left the Amaguriya was a spitting image of his brother-in-law. He quickly ran to the store.

"The man who had just left, who is he?" he demanded without preamble.

"The leader of Uchiha clan, Sasuke. Uchiha, Sasuke."

Thanking the cashier, he left. He took her sister at their hotel room before going to Hokage tower.

Naruto was sympathetic when Renji narrated about the sudden demise of his brother-in-law and how it affected his sister greatly. But when he made a request to the hokage, the latter didn't shout, he screeched, 'what!' Did he hear it right?

"I want Uchiha Sasuke to be with my sister during our one week stay here," Renji repeated.

Naruto wasn't dumb. He knew what the man really wanted. He wanted Sasuke to play the role of his sister's husband and that meant...

Seeing the hesitation in those blue eyes, Renji decided that a reminder was needed.

"My father loves Reiko so much and if he knows that the Rokudaime won't grant my request, he can make your relationship with the Rock village strained."

The hokage didn't need the young lord to remind him about that. He was fully aware that their father had a very strong friendship with the Tsuchikage. But…

Naruto frowned. "Wait, that's impossible. I can't agree-"

"Because he is your husband?"

The hokage looked away but his silence was his affirmation.

"But kages don't have spouses or family. Am I right?"

Naruto nodded. As a hokage, Sasuke was just a subordinate nothing more nothing less.

"If you refuse... I know Konoha is stronger than Iwagakure but your people would still suffer the effects a war."

"Do you think Tsuchikage would really start a war with us?"

"What do you think?"

Naruto knew the history between Iwagakure and Konoha. And their spies in Rock village told him Tsuchikage was just waiting for any reason to renounce their peace treaty and attempt to destroy Konoha. Although their forces were nowhere as great as Konoha's, it was possible that the Tsuchikage wanted to crush the village indirectly - through the effects of war. And while Konoha would be coping up with the damages, another village an ally of Rock would attack and hopefully annihilate Konoha directly.

Naruto mentally sighed. The village welfare against his own. There was no need to decide. His position had already decided for him. Taking a clean mission scroll from his drawer, he wrote all the mission information before affixing it with his official seal. He presented it to the pleased gentleman who also affixed his signature.

"Udon," Naruto called out the moment Renji walked out.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"Bring Uchiha, Sasuke here."

"Right away, sir." And the jounin disappeared.

Naruto leaned back on his chair and sighed as he tried to calm down. But the warning tone in Renji's voice and his smiles kept coming back, making him seethe. With a growl, he threw the scroll just in time Sasuke appeared in a poof. The captain would have been hit if it weren't for his fast reflex.

"Sorry," the blonde said knowing behind that mask, Sasuke was scowling. "No need to give it back to me. It's your mission scroll anyway," he said. He then waved his hand in dismissal and the captain nodded.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke went home to pack. But before going to his room, he went to the kitchen to grab a drink. Sitting down, he unrolled the scroll. He choked when he read the mission description. He read it again just to make sure he wasn't mistaken. Then he read it once more just to make sure his understanding of things was correct. And when he was really certain, his left hand tightened around the glass, shattering it and injuring his hand. A string of colorful words exploded from him before he got up to clean his mess and took care of his injury.

Akemi passed by the master's bedroom and saw his otousan almost angrily stuffing few things into his bag.

"I'm home," he said in a voice laced with tiredness.

"Welcome back," the older Uchiha nodded.

"What happened to you?" he asked, wondering what could piss his otousan so much. He easily caught the scroll thrown at him. He read it once the twice before asking, "Chichiue approved of this?" What was his other father thinking anyway? For him to lend what he always referred to as his greatest treasure to a stranger was utterly ridiculous and unbelievable.

"You should have turned it down," Akemi said. He knew his dark-haired father loathed the mission and for him to accept it was insanity. What was the world coming into?

"Everything isn't about your wants."

"But both of you are going to suffer, or are already suffering," he pointed out.

"We're shinobis. We're trained to endure anything," Sasuke countered.

"Even with heartaches?" Akemi asked an eyebrow rose in a challenge.

The older man nodded, "even that."

The boy shrugged his shoulders. As his father passed him by, he wanted to tell him something but realized there was nothing to say. Even 'good luck' seemed inappropriate.

"I met otousan by the gates," Kisho told his older brother as he entered the house. "He seemed to be breathing fire. What happened to him?"

"A stupid mission," was Akemi's dry reply.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke stood in front of the hotel room stated in the scroll. He took four deep breaths to stifle the urge of killing the young lord before he knocked on the door.

Renji's smile widened as he led the Uchiha inside.

"I'm sure the details of the scroll are enough for you to know what your role is," the noble said. To this, Sasuke nodded.

"Good. While you're with my sister, I don't want you to see you seeing your spouse nor wear you wedding ring."

It took a lot of effort from Sasuke not to make a kunai/shuriken cushion out of the bastard in front of him.

There was no way he would take off his ring for some ridiculous mission. He had never taken it off since his wedding even when his marriage had been on the rocks one time. He raised his left to show that there was no need to do such thing because luckily, he had bandaged his left hand so his ring wasn't visible. The lord nodded and led him to another room.

Reiko gracefully sat by the window. Her eyes were glazed as her soul traveled back to her glorious days. Even the firm knock on her door was lost on her but her brother's voice brought her back. She looked at him with dull eyes until she saw who was standing beside her brother. She stood up abruptly and approached her past, her present and her future. Afraid that he was just an illusion or an apparition that would disappear the next moment, she warily and gently touched his face.

Sasuke's immediate reaction was to grip her hands - an action misunderstood by the lady.

She wept as she threw her arms around his neck. "Hajime," she murmured. Sasuke never returned the embrace as he was too busy stopping himself from pushing her away.

"I'm Sasuke. Uchiha, Sasuke."

The lady leaned back and smiled. She remembered that back then Hajime's voice was deeper but that didn't mean his current voice wasn't pleasant. It wasn't only his voice that had changed but even his hairstyle. His silky jet black hair had been long almost reaching his waist and he always tied it in ponytail. But now, his hair was now gelled in a shape that reminded her of duck's butt. She chuckled lightly before she shook her head.

"You'll always be my Hajime."

The shinobi had to remind himself that this was just a mission. He couldn't wait for these visitors to get out of Konoha and out of their lives.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Dinner in the Uchiha was less enjoyable as Naruto's cheerfulness was too strained not to be noticed by Kisho and Akemi. Some moments, Naruto would be toying with his food before attacking it like some wild animal.

"Guess what I saw today?" Miki stepped inside the dining room. She was too disturbed at what she saw to say 'I'm home.'

Akemi and Kisho looked as they were thinking. The older brother then arched an eyebrow and said, "Your teammates doing some perverted-"

"That's not it," she said as she took a seat. "I saw Otousan and some lady dining at one of the finest restaurants in Konoha. The lady looked aristocratic…"

She trailed off when their chichiue stood up.

"If you need anything, I'm at the study room, working," Naruto said with a smile before he left.

"What's wrong with him?" Miki asked.

Akemi sighed and told them about the mission.

"Really?" both of his younger siblings asked in shocked.

"The lady is beautiful but she and otousan don't look compatible. Trust me."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"I had fun tonight," Reiko giggled as she plopped on her, no, their bed. "And the black clothes suit you well. You should wear civilian clothes more often."

"I'm a shinobi," Sasuke stated for the nth time. _And you're just a mission._ He didn't find the dinner date pleasant. It was awkward but he endured it all because it was an order.

"But more than anything else, you were a swordsman. Kimono looks better on you than those uniforms." Then with a smile and her hand stretched, she said, "Come, let us sleep."

Sasuke looked pale but remained calm. He shook his head. "I'm not sleepy yet. Go ahead." Ignoring the pained look, he left the room and saw a frowning Renji.

"It seemed that one of Konoha's best ninjas is failing," he mocked.

The Uchiha scowled. "Do you know why shinobi are the most feared warrior?" he asked in a clipped tone. "Because they execute missions without emotions. Your sister is a mission yet order states that I must deal it with emotions." It just went against what ninjas especially ANBU members were ordered to do… were taught to do.

"And all you could do is put on an apathetic look," the other man snarled. "You're incompetent."

The scowl on the Uchiha darkened but he didn't say anything because he was incompetent for this mission. He walked away and sat on the couch, completely ignoring the displeased lord.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto tossed in their bed, unable to fall asleep. He went to the meadow that existed in his mind. Even before his feet could touch the grass, a golden red tail curled around his waist, carried and settled him beside the demon's belly.

**_If it saddens you then you should have denied that brat._**

_**But you know what he has against us.**_

**_If the Rock village wants to attack us, we can annihilate even before they could use any of their ninjutsu. We'll annihilate their allies as well._**

Naruto smiled. **_Tempting, Kyuubi. But the efforts of my predecessors-_**

**_Would be wasted,_** an exasperated Kyuubi finished his talk. That was always Naruto's reasoning.

The blonde snuggled closer, seeking warmth and comfort. **_Why is my heart always at odds with my heart most of the time?_**

_**Because your heart thinks of Sasuke only but your mind has to consider a lot of things.**_

_**If only I could sleep through this situation.**_

_**I could put you in a deep slumber.**_

Naruto shook his head. **_I'm a shinobi. I don't run away. I have to suffer too just like Sasuke is suffering right now._**

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Sasuke had woken up from the couch, there was already breakfast on the coffee table and a smiling Reiko was in front of him.

"Good morning," she greeted. Her cheerfulness just made Sasuke sick. It was so different from Naruto. Hers was sweet and he hated sweets. Naruto's was just as strong as the sun and it always made his skin tingle in a good way.

He nodded and greeted back. Remembering his manners, he excused himself and went to the bathroom. When he returned, he was served with a cup of steaming coffee. He thanked the woman. He drank it and almost spit it out. His coffee was too sweet. It was Naruto who drinks sugar-concentrated not him.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked innocently. "Was the sugar not enough?"

Reminding himself that he was a shinobi, he shook his head and emptied the cup in few gulps. God! He was dying and he still had six days to endure this torture.

"Tour me around Konoha, will you?"

"Of course," Sasuke said in a forced gentle voice. He wanted to just stay inside the hotel and suffocate himself to death.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

In the end, Naruto never managed to sleep for more than three hours. He couldn't because Sasuke's scent in their room was haunting and mocking him. He decided that for the next six nights, he'd be sleeping in the hokage room that smelled with antiseptic. It was better that way. He was sure he could sleep.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"I'm hungry," she said.

Sasuke nodded. "I'll take you somewhere. It's one of the most popular food stores here." Not to mention, the place where his dobe would frequent too often. He missed him.

"Thank you for the food," Naruto called out as he stepped out from the Ichiraku.

"Ramen? I hate ramen," he heard an almost whining voice. "I'm allergic to ramen, remember?"

Naruto was about to scold that person for her hatred for his food when he realized who she was. He gave Reiko his one of his fake beautiful smiles then looked at Sasuke who was being half-dragged by the noble. The two looked at each other miserably before Naruto disappeared in a poof. He couldn't stand to see Sasuke being with someone else just as latter dislike the idea of staying away from his blonde.

The captain looked at his mission then at the sky. _I will see you soon._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke smiled when he saw the figure he had been looking for. But it wasn't a surprise because he knew Naruto's daily routine. He knew where to find the blonde anytime. And right now, Naruto was at the lakeside near the Hokage Mountain.

"Naruto," he said the name longingly. It had just been one night and yet such longing was almost too much to bear.

Wide blue eyes looked at him in surprise and Naruto asked, "What happened to Miss Reiko?"

"I shook her off temporarily," Sasuke said. The two continued staring at each other before they moved forward. They crushed their bodies together and sealed their lips in a hot and furious kiss.

The wind blew causing the hokage robes to flap around their figures before wrapping around Sasuke's lean body.

"It's hell, Naruto. Worse than my time back in Otogakure," Sasuke said between nips on those luscious lips. Back then he had his revenge to remind him of what must be done unlike now.

"I know but we have to endure it," Naruto replied with a moan. He threw his head back as pale fingers slipped into his pants and caressed his opening. He ground his hips against his spouse's, eliciting a very wicked groan from Sasuke.

"Are you aware that you're killing us?" the older man asked as he laved the tanned neck.

"I know and I'm sorry." A wicked tongue snaked out to trace Sasuke's ear shell.

The dark-haired man gyrate their hips together while leaving a damp trail on Naruto's exposed skin. "If you're sorry, then give me permission to pull out from this damned mission."

Naruto slid his hands under Sasuke's shirt and let them go wild on pale skin, trembling as the muscles beneath such perfect skin shuddered at his slightest touches. Naruto wanted skin contact so badly that he was furiously rubbing their hips together as if such friction would burn the clothes that were an obstacle. "It's not something I can do."

"I know and I understand." Sasuke understood and that was the reason why he hated it more. He understood perfectly why Naruto couldn't. Damn. They were married and they were in the same village yet they couldn't see each other until his mission was over. He leaned his forehead on Naruto's exposed shoulder and took a shuddering breath.

"God! Dobe, I ache to be inside of you now," he confessed before he started sucking the skin on the side of his neck.

Naruto's left hand cradled Sasuke's head as he replied, "I want to be with you too but…"

The two looked at each other, drowning in each other's limpid pools of wanting. The sane part of them informed them that Reiko was coming. The woman was more or less one a minute away. It was enough for them. They meshed their lips once more, their hands quickly groping what they could. After forty seconds, they pushed away from each other knowing they were so close to losing control.

Naruto looked at the side where he knew Reiko would appear. She was just few steps from them. He leaned forward to disappear and then appear right in front of Sasuke.

"Make her happy," he said brushing his swollen lips against Sasuke's before he was gone.

Hearing such statement, Sasuke felt like he had been splashed with freezing cold water, making his stiff shaft go limp. That idiot! How could he say that when his taste was still in his mouth?

"There you are," he heard Reiko exclaimed and he gritted his teeth. He mentally took deep breaths before he turned around to look at her.

"Let's continue with our tour," he offered. Naruto had ordered him to make her happy and that was what he was going to do. He was a shinobi for Christ's sake. He can pull this off.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yuuzuki had just arrived from a mission when he invited Yukina to dine with him at some restaurant and had never heard about his otousan's predicament. So when he saw him and his lady companion entering the establishment, his eyes bulge causing his girlfriend to follow his gaze.

"Don't misunderstand it," Yukina said. "He's on a mission. I don't exactly know what the mission is all I know is that the lady's brother hired him to be her companion because your otousan was a dead ringer of her late husband."

Yuuzuki nodded, discretely looking at the lady.

"Everybody is trying to avoid the hokage and going to his office," she continued. "They said they could feel the murderous vibes. While Aunt Ino and the others are coming up with plans on accidentally bumping on them so they could check Miss Reiko out. This is all I heard from the shinobi circuit"

"For her to get what she wants she must be a brat or her brother is." He finally caught his otousan's gaze and he titled his head towards the restroom. The older Uchiha gave a slight nod before he excused himself.

Yuuzuki watched his otousan walked into the room before he excused himself and disappeared quietly.

"I heard about it," Yuuzuki said. "Must be tough."

Sasuke nodded, "but there's nothing I could do but obey the orders. Send my regards to chichiue." And then he left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke had stuck to his reputation for being efficient. He showed emotions that were needed in the mission regardless how insincere and forced they were because in the end, Reiko and Renji were convinced. But he still never joined the lady in her bed. He slept in the couch and he slept late. It was during that state, when Naruto would haunt him to awakening until the core of his very person tingle with emptiness. He would toss and turn until he fell asleep again. And not wanting to drink Hajime's kind of coffee, he made sure he woke up early to prepare his own.

Everyday he would tour the lady around Konoha and endure all her intimate gestures. The only gestures he could return were embraces and holding hands. But his embraces were always loose and the way he held her hand was half-hearted. It wasn't her hands he wanted to hold. She wasn't the one he wanted to embrace. They were near yet so far but he continued on because that was what his profession required from him. That was what Naruto expected from him.

Reiko didn't seem to notice Sasuke's discomfort. All that mattered to her was Hajime was with her once more. She was slowly reliving her glorious days but this time in a more real way.

Naruto, on the other hand, could not fall asleep even when he was sleeping in the hokage's quarters. No matter how many times and no matter what Kyuubi did, he couldn't sleep. And as hours went by, Kyuubi's suggestion of annihilation became more and more tempting, making his body tense.

Due to his lack of rest, he was easily pissed off and he was growling in any chances he got causing his subordinates to scurry out of his way when they could feel his presence. The more they tried not to provoke him, the more they committed mistakes. As small as such errors were the whole building shook every time Naruto roar in anger.

Naruto knew it was very unbecoming of him and knew that when he calmed down, he had a lot of apologizing to do but at that moment he didn't care. He was pissed. Royally pissed. And his sadistic demonic side seemed to prowl in its desire to kill two certain people and then some.

Blue eyes tainted in red as he looked at the report submitted to him by a chuunin cell. The format was wrong, some sentences were vague and others were too detailed for a mission report. He slammed his hands on the table causing the ninjas to jump.

"Rewrite it once more," he ordered. "Did you read the correction I wrote last time?"

The three nodded numbly. This was the first time they were asked to rewrite a report and worse this would be the fifth time they were going to rewrite it. Like everyone else who bore the brunt of Naruto's unreasonable anger, they blamed their suffering to those two noble from the Rock village.

"If you won't get it right next time, I'll demote you," Naruto warned. When he huffed in his chair, the three took it as a dismissal.

Shino was climbing the stairs when he met the pale chuunin. He could smell pure fear from them and sighed.

Naruto looked at the different reports and information spread out on his table. Figures and characters were swimming in front of him, merging and entwining like some animated film. Growling, he all swept them away from his table in disgust. His hands ached to tear them to shreds or burn them.

The sudden crash made the stationed ANBU guards to appear, thinking of an attack only to find a messy floor with a coffee mug broken. Luckily, the mug had been empty so it didn't do any damage on the carpet and on the documents.

The two guards looked at the hokage who was pressing his forehead against the cool window glass. They were about to start picking up when they heard him say, "I'll do it. Just leave."

Knowing it was better to follow than argue, they nodded and left.

There was only a knock before Shino walked inside.

"Naruto," he started and crouched down to help his friend gathering documents. "Don't you think your temper is too much? I understand what you feel. Everybody understands that but don't you think it is unfair when you lash out to them?"

"I feel pretty bad about it myself but I couldn't help it. I'm getting crazy and I couldn't fall asleep."

Shino could see that because there were dark circles under his eyes. "It's not only that, Naruto. Being cocooned in this place for too long also affects your temper." Most people were aware that Naruto never stepped outside the administration building because he didn't want to see Reiko parading his husband around town as if the Uchiha was her own.

"Where can I go?"

"Sasuke and that woman could only be in one place at a time," Shino stated matter-of-factly.

"True. But when you wanted to avoid someone, the world becomes smaller," the blonde countered.

Shino sighed. "Just don't lash out too much. If the councilors would learn about this…" he trailed off because he knew Naruto was fully aware of things. He sighed once again before he looked at his friend and said, "Just be careful and control your temper, okay?"

The blonde nodded. "Shino?"

"Hm?"

"Please send Hinata or Sakura to me, right now."

A few minutes later, Hinata appeared in his office.

"Y-you sent for me, Naruto-sama?" she asked. She was scared to provoke the man in front of him.

"Hinata, give me some sleeping pills will you?"

"Eh?" Her friend looked so desperate and she knew that such pills were dangerous. The hokage might overdose himself with it. "I'm sorry but I couldn't give you those."

"But I need it so I could sleep tonight and improve my temper."

"May I suggest something, Naruto-sama?" The blonde nodded, "I could make you sleep through chakra application. If you want, I could do that on you when the night comes."

"You don't trust me to drink the pills?"

"N-not really. I worry that you might overdose yourself."

Naruto just chuckle dryly. "Very well, please come here around seven in the evening."

The kunoichi nodded and left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke seemed elated by the knowledge that by tomorrow he was a free man and he could go back to where he belonged. But there was something about the way Reiko looked and dressed that made him feel uncomfortable. In fact, his instincts told him that he might as well run away but he was a shinobi and an Uchiha too and being those meant he must never run. He was not a coward.

Tapered fingers lightly ran across his cheeks as Reiko stood in front of him. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

"I know," Sasuke said.

"Won't you miss me? Won't you come home with me?" Her tangerine eyes were now smoky and seductive.

"I'm already home," Sasuke said and stepped away when those pink lips came too close for his comfort. Unable to take it anymore, he said, "I'm not your husband. I'm Sasuke, the husband of the hokage." As if to prove it, he unwrap the bandage from his left hand and showed his wedding ring.

Reiko smiled, "I know you are married. Our little bumping with your friends told me that. Never underestimate woman's instinct or intuition." She wasn't stupid. She could understand the looks his lady friends were throwing at him. It was a gaze that was telling him to hang on or telling him how the hokage was doing or asking him how he was faring. She also aware of the annoyance the ninjas especially his friends were emanating towards her.

"I know you're Sasuke too. An Uchiha. But you reminded me of Hajime and that is good enough for me."

"You are selfish," Sasuke said, his voice lacing in irritation. He no longer cared if such emotion was unneeded.

"I'm in love."

"Then you should learn to let go," he snapped although he knew his condition would be worse if Naruto dies. But he didn't mind telling such statement to the lady who was making him miserable.

"Come with me. I can give you anything. Everything"

"I already have more than everything."

"I can't change your mind, can I?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Then as a parting gift; as a way for making up for your incompetence and rudeness," her smile was now calculating, "make love to me."

Obsidian eyes widened, he was gaping at her.

"Isn't it your mission to make me happy? Isn't that what you are paid for?"

She was right. He was known for his success and efficiency. This was mission. If he would do it with her… He could do it with her. Emotions weren't needed in this mission. As long as he could give her the pleasure she seek, then it was okay. To have sex with her was part of this fuck up mission. Naruto wouldn't mind. No, Naruto would mind but he would understand. The blonde even told him to make her happy.

He looked at her straight in the eye and said, "Let's do it."

And the bitch smiled victoriously.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto was sitting on the front porch of the Uchiha mansion. His mood had improved since he started receiving chakra application from Hinata and then from Miki who had volunteered to do it as long as his chichiue would come home. But there was no need to sleep tonight because tonight was when his Sasuke would return to him- a reason why he was staying in the front porch.

He smiled as he saw a silhouette walking towards the mansion and immediately identified it as Sasuke. But the smile on his face vanished as he could smell, even from the distance, the woman's perfume. He squinted his eyes and realized that Sasuke's hair was damp.

Bath after sex… Perfect but it won't fool him.

He gripped the ledge too tight as realization dawned on him – Sasuke had completed the mission. He felt sick and he was in pain but he knew he shouldn't be. What they had was sex. It was only sex yet why did his chest seem to explode in pain? Because he thought such intimacy could only be shared by the two of them. He should have known that it would end up like this because Sasuke always made sure he accomplished his mission. He had been like that since when he was a genin.

With a sob and without waiting for Sasuke to reach him, he turned and went inside. He hurriedly discarded his clothes and soaked in the bath tub.

_Stupidstupidstupidstupidstupid. Bitchbitchbitchbitchbitchbitch._

He scrubbed his skin in anger until they were red in irritation. So hurt was he that he didn't know Sasuke was already inside the bathroom until long pale fingers gripped his hand to stop his movements.

"Naruto," he said in a very quiet voice and he didn't miss the apologetic tone.

If Naruto doubted such tone, the guilty look Sasuke was sporting blew those doubts away. The dark-haired man looked away as the pain of betrayal shot though Naruto. But instead of lashing out as Sasuke expected, Naruto attacked his pants and nuzzle his dick against his cheek.

"Naruto!" Sasuke gaped. His knees trembled as hot tongue snaked against his growing member, awakening it.

The blonde concentrated in roving his tongue all over Sasuke's shaft paying more attention at the underside vein. He moved his lips forward to drop a kiss and lick his balls before he suddenly deep-throat Sasuke.

To be inside that warm and hot cavern made Sasuke threw his head back and plunged his finger into those wet golden locks to maintain his balance. He gulped as those intense blue eyes locked on him. Slowly he bucked his hips according to the rhythm Naruto established.

He didn't last long. He couldn't endure the pleasure that eager mouth and smoky eyes evoke in him. With just a deep moan as a warning, he came.

Naruto tucked him back and Sasuke thought it was over and he would have wept but in a flick of a tanned arm, he found himself sitting in the bath tub, clothes and all. And a naked Naruto was straddling him.

Naruto brushed his lips against his then pulled away when the man was about to respond. He trailed his mouth against Sasuke's face and asked huskily, "Was she tighter than me, bastard?"

"Huh?" Sasuke could only stare at him.

He nibbled his ear before plunging his tongue into it. "Did she manage to elicit those sinful sounds from you?"

Sasuke wanted to talk but all that his voice could produce were those sinful sounds the blonde mentioned.

"Was she better than me? Was she able to reduce you into a mass of lust, desire and need?" Sharp teeth grazed his shoulders before sinking into his flesh. Sasuke threw his head back both from pain and pleasure. Naruto's hands traveled over his skin, singeing it with his desire and jealousy. Thumbs played over the dark-haired man's nipples making it hard and erect just like his manhood.

"Was she able to satisfy you?" Fighting back the sob making past his throat, Naruto finally snarled the question he really wanted to ask, "Did she momentarily make you forget about me?"

Understanding dawned and settled over Sasuke's pleasure-hazed mind. Naruto was horribly jealous, bringing out his possessives.

Was this the possessiveness Orochimaru off-handedly told him when he had angered the blonde during one of their encounters?

_Don't talk about Sasuke as if he is yours. _

No it wasn't. The possessiveness Naruto had shown that time was mixed with anger, desperation and frustration, while the possessiveness Sasuke was now seeing was tainted with jealousy.

How lovely.

Sasuke gripped and pulled his blond hair just so he could stare at those stormy blue eyes. "She's beautiful but you're breathtaking." His right hand cupped Naruto's face. "Her body _might_ be soft but yours is pliant and made for my touch." He brought his face closer so he could lick those drop tears on his cheeks, "Her skin looks flawless but yours is perfect. She _might_ be a demi-goddess but you, without a doubt, are a god. My god." He kissed him deep until their lungs became to painful to be ignored. He licked the saliva trailing from Naruto's lips as he murmured breathlessly, "but I liked your jealousy and possessiveness.

"You ruined your talk with the last line," Naruto retorted. "Wouldn't you feel the same if I'll do it with…" he trailed off to think of the person that would threaten or anger Sasuke. "Sai or Gaara?" Those two and Neji had been too close with the blonde for Sasuke's liking during their bachelor days and the fact that Sai and Gaara were still unmarried and dote on his wife don't sit well with Sasuke even now.

Naruto knew Sasuke's reaction would be strings of curses and violent plans on how to torture them. Sasuke was predictable when it comes to jealousy, when it comes to him.

"Go ahead," the dark-haired man said indifferently that Naruto thought he was no longer as important to him as before until the former continued. "But you'll demand for more. Your body would. And even when they give you everything you will never fell satisfied. You know why?

The blonde could only shake his head mutely. He was so engrossed in staring at those obsidian eyes that seemed to shine like dark marbles. And that voice… It wasn't his bedroom voice. It was better and sexier. There was a dangerous edge to it that made him shiver to the very core of his being.

_Take me now._

Sasuke kissed him and invited his tongue to come out from its place. He flicked his tongue against its partner before continuing, "Your mouth and tongue would coil at the intrusion." He trailed his fingers on flushed tanned skin in a butterfly caress that made Naruto's breath hitch. "Your skin would tingle not in pleasure but disgust." A pale hand wrapped around the blonde's throbbing appendage, "This would weep and tremble not in anticipation but in hunger… for my hand." He squeezed it before he let go to raise Naruto at the same time he dipped his head to suck on its tip. "For my mouth."

Naruto whimpered when Sasuke didn't continue his ministrations. He choked on his moan when a gasp slipped from his lips as he felt fingers rubbing against his ring of muscles before slipping inside him. His eyes immediately closed at the sensation.

"Your ring of muscles and your walls would submit to the foreign object while craving for my thickness; for my length and for my warmth." Sasuke grinded their hips together swallowing back his own moans that was threatening to leave his mouth. God, he wanted to pound Naruto now. He was throbbing painfully but tried to shake the uncomfortable pleasure as he moved his fingers, loving the moans that vibrated from tanned chest. He dipped his head to take an earlobe, nibbling it before suggestively plunging his wet and hot tongue.

Naruto shuddered. He wanted Sasuke to take him now. This was too much. He desperately wrapped his arms around Sasuke as he bucked his hips. He didn't want fingers. They were too small and inadequate for his satisfaction. He wanted the real thing.

"Even when you experienced mind-blowing orgasm, your body, every fiber of it would crave for me. It's a fact, dobe."

The blonde didn't do or say anything to deny it because he knew it was the truth. His body was Sasuke's. Everything he has and will have; everything he was and will be, belong to his husband. It was and always will be like that until the universe was no more and eternity came to an end.

He whined when Sasuke extracted his fingers out.

Glazed eyes stared at him, "Sasuke..."

Understanding the request before it was made known, he said, "be my guest." And he watched as Naruto eagerly release his straining manhood from its confines.

Naruto hurriedly gripped the edge of the tub and positioned his legs to support his weight as he lifted himself. His grip tightened and his head feel forward as he slowly sheathed Sasuke who seemed to be bigger than usual.

_This fullness... this completeness… these sensations. Only him. Only Sasuke._

Sasuke grip on Naruto's butt tightened, his fingers digging into that taut flesh as he was being drawn in. He threw his head in delight. What he told to the blonde wasn't a lie. It was the truth. That tight ring of muscles immediately relaxed when his tip passed it. It was like it was recognizing him as the welcomed guest. He felt the walls inside drawing back, welcoming him and giving him space while adjusting to his thickness and length.

He could also feel the walls rubbing against, kissing and grabbing him desperately and impatient to participate the simple dance with an intricate rhythm,

Naruto wouldn't understand because he hadn't felt what he was feeling. The blond hadn't and will never experience what it was like to be inside him.

The blonde pressed his forehead against pale chest as his spouse's balls slapped his butt. Sasuke was completely swallowed by him and the former shivered at the contact. He gripped the blonde's slim waist as he helped him to ride.

Their movements were rough enough to cause water to splash on the tiled floor and their body heat was too much it was a mystery the water didn't boil much less evaporate.

Sasuke fisted Naruto's erection, his thumb rubbing and pressing against the slit causing the tanned body to tremble hard. Sasuke smirked. He was going to pay Naruto ten times the pleasure the latter tortured him with.

"Sasuke～" Naruto breathed, his hands cupping Sasuke's flushed face. The dark-haired looked up just in time to catch fallings lips.

Pleasure coiled and tightened in his stomach and Sasuke was seconds away from pleasure. He tightened his hold on Naruto's waist, stopping their movements.

Confused lustful and half-lidded eyes look at him in silent inquiry. Sasuke shook his head.

"I don't want for us to come yet," he explained. "Please grant me this selfish desire."

The blonde nodded and settled down to let the ribbons of pleasure to uncurl and loosened from them. A minute later they started moving again just as needy and wantonly as before. And when they were close again, they stopped. The third time, Naruto accidentally pulled the plug causing for the water to drain but they didn't mind. It was better. Nothing was in their way now

"Do you feel that, Naruto?" Sasuke whispered hotly as he thrust into that plaint body.

"Do you feel that also, bastard?" the other countered as he let his muscles clamped on Sasuke.

Before his husband could bury himself into his tight heat deeper, Naruto stood up and with his back against Sasuke, settled on his knees on the other side of the tub. He leaned forward, his hands gripping the tub's edge. He threw a sultry glance over his shoulder. He spread his knees, showing Sasuke his puckered opening.

Obsidian eyes followed the precum dripping from Naruto's penis and hole. This time, it was him who was mesmerized. At the memory of how his wife tasted in there, he gulped at the sudden increase of his saliva. He licked his lips hungrily. He could feel more blood rushing to his already very painful erection. He didn't have to hear Naruto's invitation to stand up and plunged into that tight cavern as if his life depended on it. Both of them moaned. Sasuke's tongue snaked to lick Naruto's ear as he started moving again.

Pleasure and happiness were too much that the blonde's arms couldn't hold him up and his upper body started slipping until it was lying on the bottom of the tub. But his hips were still thrust upward. His knees maintained that position and Sasuke's tight gripped had supported it. His chest was rubbing against the tub's floor as his dark-haired lover continued plundering his body sweetly yet mercilessly.

"Ngh. Naruto..."

"Hm?"

"This time I can't stop anymore," Sasuke informed him. He was too far gone to stop.

"Don't. I'm going insane if you do." His right hand covering Sasuke's that was fisting his pulsating member.

Sasuke turned Naruto's head and kissed him. The kiss smothered their shouts as they came. Later on, he draped his form over Naruto's and covered his other free hand with his own.

Naruto turned his hand and pressed their palms together, fingers entwined. His hand was still covering Sasuke's that was still around his limp manhood.

"Sasuke," the blonde said then halted. Asking him not to do it with anyone even if missions required him would be selfish and inconsiderate of him.

Sasuke read the silent request. "Of course. I won't. I hadn't even done it with Reiko-san."

"What?"

The two broke their union and sat on the tub, water now flowing to erase their passion.

"What do you mean you didn't do it with that widow?" Naruto asked. There was no reason calling Reiko 'bitch' if they didn't do anything.

"I didn't fuck her in any way," Sasuke said.

_The widow smiled victoriously. Even if she couldn't take Sasuke with her, at least she'd have him tonight. Just one night with him and she'd have a child who'd look like Hajime. She led him to the bed, excitement coursing through her especially when his lithe body hovered above her. She gave him her most irresistible look._

"_Let's do that. I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I would be sighing, calling, groaning and moaning my wife's name over and over again while thinking of him. Because that's the only way I can do it with anyone else."_

_He wasn't kidding when he said that. Naruto was the one for him because his world spiraled around N-a-r-u-t-o. His world was painted in blue, gold and bronze._

_Her eyes widened as he said those words. The feeling of making love with someone who was thinking of another was worse than the feeling of defeat settling on her. She sobbed._

"_You're in love," she whispered achingly._

_The shinobi didn't bother to deny it. He never talked about his life with strangers yet there was something in this situation that was encouraging him to do otherwise. He knew that he could make her believe that they did it with his sharingan but he wasn't tempted even for a second. He refused to give her that satisfaction even if it was only an illusion. He could have just walked out after refusing but his sympathy made him at least try to make the woman understand. That was the only thing he could do. If his attempt fails, then he had no choice but to walk out._

"_As a friend, I had hurt him a lot. That's why as a lover; as a husband I don't want to hurt him or betray him."_

"_You're in love," she said disappointed. To have her husband's dead ringer said that was like having Hajime telling her that. "You're in love and it's not me. Why won't you come back to me?"_

_Sasuke sighed. "Because I was never yours to begin with. I could never be yours. I am and will never be your Hajime."_

_The sincerity and severity of the statements snatched her back to the present where reality and truth were waiting for her acceptance._

_For the first time, she saw Sasuke for what he truly was._

_Sasuke straightened and stepped away from her. Reiko settled on the floor and bowed deeply, "thank you for everything."_

Naruto gaped at the smirking Sasuke.

"So what was the apologetic tone and guilty look for?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "dobe, that was for failing the mission."

The blonde blushed, ashamed for what he did to his spouse. "You should have told me earlier."

"Such plan evaporated when you nuzzled mine," the older man stated bluntly causing the other man to blush more. "Do you always think the worst of me?"

Naruto shook his head furiously. "I've always known you for being efficient in everything. You always accomplish missions and..." he trailed off as he saw the ever growing smirk and he realized in annoyance that Sasuke had known his reasons and was only teasing him. That bastard! He threw a half-hearted punch and Sasuke never bothered to block it.

Naruto stood on his knees and lazily draped his arms across Sasuke's shoulders. Pale arms snaked around his tanned waist.

"No matter how ridiculous the mission was, the subject was a VIP. Am I going to be punished?" Sasuke asked huskily.

The only form of punishment Naruto could think about was tying Sasuke on their bed and have his wicked way with him. But if that was the case, Sasuke might fail all his missions just so he would be punished.

Using what everybody called his hokage voice, he answered, "It's not appropriate for leaders to punish their subordinates for such things."

Sasuke chuckled.

"Thank you, bastard," Naruto whispered affectionately.

The dark-haired man brushed his lips against his wife's abdomen before he looked up with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Since I didn't commit adultery, a reward is in order."

Naruto gave a throaty chuckle while nipping the tip of Sasuke's nose. "What are you? A child?"

And although there'd be people who would be gloating on his failure which broke his perfect record of successful missions, there would be others too who would approve and respect him more for his decision.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Renji went back to their suite, he saw Reiko sitting on the couch.

"Where's he?" he asked, frowning.

"Probably at his house."

That angered Renji. That Sasuke was supposed to stay until tomorrow.

Sensing her brother's anger, she said, "I sent him home, oniisama."

"Why?"

_You're already gone now, Hajime._

"He wouldn't give me what I want. Couldn't."

He should complain this with the hokage.

"But he gave me something else," there was a sad smile on her face as she continued, "in his indifference and frankness, he made me realized Hajime is gone from this world but not from my heart." Sasuke made her looked at reality.

_Hajime, I miss you. I really do but I'm going to move on. To the future you had built for me when you were still alive._

"And that losing Hajime wasn't a good enough reason to snatch someone from his beloved."

_Please watch over me. I'll live for both of us so smile down at me from the heavens._

"Renji, even though the mission wasn't completed, pay the full amount."

"I can't do that. They have to keep their end of the deal," he snapped.

"You're going to drag him back?" What could her brother understand with his kind of lifestyle? He would never understand commitment.

"I'll exact fairness."

Reiko sighed at his foolishness. She knew he had no chance against Sasuke who she now respected for being firm. "Against someone like him, a promiscuous man like you won't last even a minute."

The opinion was stated with so much conviction that it stopped Renji from walking out. His eyes met hers and he saw truthfulness in her words. He sighed. "Very well."

_You're lucky, Naruto-san._

**TBC**

**-----oo-----**

Most of SasuNaru fics have Sasuke as the possessive one. I enjoyed reading these fics especially when Sasuke would go 'kukukuku…' but I wanted to have a possessive Naruto too, especially in this fic.

In this chapter, I'm trying to show the loyal side of Sasuke as well as his single-mindedness or something like that. I always see him as a single-minded person when it comes to doing something very important to him. This side of him was shown when he was playing the part of an avenger. He had thrown everything away just to be one step closer towards finding revenge and now that he accomplished such task, he is now focusing all his attention and passion in loving Naruto. Yes, he is single-mindedly loving Naruto and would throw his reputation as one of the best ninja just to keep his marital vows. Yey! Way to go, Sasuke!

I learned from one of my Ethics classes that there are five planes of awareness and Reward and Punishment is one of them.

As for the statement that goes "His world spiral around…" I know it should had been 'revolved' but it's Naruto Uzumaki he was thinking and spiral/swirl is associated with the blonde.


	54. 夜明け前

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, OOC, OCC, M-preg, and unbeta-read**

**Standard disclaimer applies**

**Sora-kitty: -laughs-**

**Mou: Akemi was so disturbed that he couldn't even find the words to comfort his father. I tried portraying that in their conversation. Sasuke wasn't the bastard that he was when they were genin so his sympathy made him try to make the girl see. But I have to admit that you made me see loopholes in the story so I tried correcting it. Thank you and sorry for making you upset (this was what I thought when I read your review).**

**Author's notes: After reading Mou's review, I decided to add few sentences to clear up some ambiguity. But the plot hadn't change at all.**

**-----oo-----**

**Chapter 54: The dawn**

There was just something exciting at the same time depressing with the fact that another year was about to end.

But Yuuzuki, who had left the Hokage tower, found it more depressing rather than exciting and wished he could freeze time because on the second day of January, his team would be leaving for a long-term mission. He only had three days to spend with Yukina.

Unfortunately, Yukina was in another town attending a seminar. But he knew the event would end that day so without further ado he left for her.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Yuuzuki!" Yukina exclaimed, really surprised to see the lad in the inn she was staying talking with a blushing receptionist. She had been expected to return tomorrow so why was Yuuzuki here? Could it be that-?

"Is there something wrong back at home?" she asked worriedly.

His boyfriend shook his head, smiled and took her hand to lead her somewhere.

"So, how did the event go?" he asked as they finished their order for tea and cake.

"Tiring but fun," she said. "The first activity we had was de-stressing. It really felt good. We were able to attack models of the kids we hated."

Her boyfriend gaped at her, "they allowed you to do that?" He looked so serious and appalled that she laughed. She kicked his left foot.

"Idiot. I was kidding."

"Oh."

"But we really do have that period. Then the rest were lectures and activities."

"It sounds boring," Yuuzuki quipped

"Yeah it does until you participate."

They let the waiter served their order before they continued talking.

"What brings you here? I'm sure it's not to ask about the event."

"I just want to spend time with you because I'm going to miss you."

A blushing Yukina almost dropped her cup. "What do you mean?" Apprehension started crawling on her like centipedes.

In a whisper Yukina could hear, he said "My team is assigned to a recon mission. At best, it would last for two years."

Two years.

Her face was void of emotions as she blankly stared at him. Two years. Could she stand it?

"Yukina?" The voice snapping her out from her spinning thoughts.

"Huh?" she uttered eloquently and a smile dawned on her face. "Let's not think about tomorrow but now. Two years couldn't be that long." To think of such length of time was too much for her right now. All she could see, hear and feel was Yuuzuki but it didn't matter because it won't be long before her boyfriend would leave… temporarily.

Yuuzuki just nodded.

They spent the rest of the afternoon, sightseeing and having fun. Trying to rebel against the future and wanting to ward off lonely thoughts, they held each other's hands tightly as if they could escape from time.

When they became aware of the world, it was already near eleven o'clock and Yuuzuki walked Yukina to her room.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Yuuzuki said as he dropped a light kiss on her forehead. They had agreed they would go home together.

Yukina threw her arms around his neck and in a quiet voice, she finally voice out her loneliness.

"Two years would mean an eternity to me..."

"To me too."

She took a deep but shaky breath to calm down. Would Yuuzuki grant her wish? "So please let tonight be the balm that will soothe me for such eternity."

_Let me forget what tomorrow might be._

Searching azure eyes looked into hazel brown ones and found love.

"What do you mean?" Yuuzuki asked because he just wanted to make sure that he didn't misunderstand it.

"Claim me as yours tonight," was the nervous reply.

He gaped at her. He never thought she'd go this far for him. He was happy. Incredibly happy. Even if she'd change her mind any second now, her feelings that made her say that was enough for him.

The lad hugged her tight, "I want to feel all of you tonight."

_Let me live for this moment only with you._

She pulled him into her room silently telling him she was sure. He locked the door, also silently telling her that it would just be the two of them.

Their lips met halfway. Unlike their previous kisses, this was oozing with nervousness and thoughts of what to do next and how to do it.

Yuuzuki looked at her and found his lack of confidence reflected in brown orbs. He cupped her face affectionately. "This will be my first time to hold someone really close," he confessed.

"Me too," she said in a trembling voice.

He smiled, "because of that, touches will be sloppy and awkward and the possibility of us messing it up is high but it wouldn't matter to me as long as I can be with you."

Although Yukina thought that he was in his ANBU captain mood, tears still sprang in her eyes. She nodded before she stood on her toes to rain his handsome face with light loving kisses.

When they lip lock again, there was just love and nothing else.

With trembling hands, they painstakingly removed each other's clothing one by one until what separated them was just their underwear. Yuuzuki gently laid her down on the bed. He brushed her left cheek while wishing he had taken Kakashi's offer of teaching him the art of pleasure. He wanted to make her happy and to make this night very memorable.

A hand shyly caressed his chest snapping him from his thoughts. He received an encouraging smile from her and it was enough. He dipped his head to brush his lips against her bare skin causing electricity to course through her. His hands joined his mouth's exploration. Although he was eager to brandish her skin with his touches, he moved slowly, innocently and in awe. He never thought a body could be this pliant and soft.

Her eyes reflexively closed as her underwear being slipped from her. Any second now and she'd be completely displayed under his scrutiny. Would he find her lacking?

"You're beautiful and perfect," Yuuzuki whispered breathlessly.

Yukina pulled him back for a hot kiss, her hands gliding downward to get rid of the last piece of clothing that separated them- his boxers. Curiously, she let a hand wrapped around his erection making him hiss. She snatched her hand away as if the heat scalded her.

"Does it hurt when I touch it?" she asked as she brushed her hand against it.

"In a good way," Yuuzuki replied huskily. He nuzzled his cheek against her chest, reveling at its fullness. He let his hands play with the rosy nubs while feeling her mounds swaying like jelly with his hand movements. He kissed her inner thigh and stared at her center which was now wet and swollen in need. In trance, he swiped with his pointer eliciting a needy moan from his girlfriend. He positioned himself between her legs, his left hand lifting her waist while the other supporting his weight. Her eyes looked scared and it made him want to stop but Yukina placed a hand on his chest.

"I trust you," she whispered. Feeling his tip brushing against her opening, her muscles instinctively braced for the pain to come.

Cautiously, he slipped into her welcoming folds and felt something resisting the intrusion before giving way at his insistence. At this, Yukina cried out in pain scaring Yuuzuki. He pulled back a bit then froze when he saw blood. He looked at Yukina whose face was still scrunched in pain.

Her arms went around him as she whispered with her lips brushing against his cheek, "I'm fine. Don't worry."

The lad continued to push in until he was completely sheathed in and damn! It felt way beyond good. He stayed still waiting for his girlfriend's comfort to disappear. His every fiber tingled at her tightness and hotness making him stiffer. He moaned as her muscles tightened around him.

"I-it's okay now."

He licked her tears as he started moving, getting familiar with his movements before he steadied them to establish a rhythm. He could feel her essence coating him just as his pre-cum coated her walls, making it easier for him to piston in and out. He loved every second of it and every sound that came spilling from Yukina.

She moaned at his heat and the pleasure it was giving to her. She opened her legs wider to accommodate him more. She never thought it was possible to feel this way as if she was flying to some wonderful place she never knew existed. She never thought sex would let her feel her special someone closer to the center of her being and of her soul.

Fire was raging through him the moment her folds seemed to suck him deeper. The excitement he felt was different from those he felt when he fought and sparred. It was an excitement caused by him, Yukina and their love.

Being their first time, the two didn't last long. Their lips found each other as they came into a different plane where whiteness and silence were bliss.

A moment or two, Yuuzuki extracted himself. Although the scent of sex was strong and heavy, his nose still picked up the scent of blood. He looked at her as he settled beside her.

"How do you feel?" he asked worriedly and pulled her close.

She placed her head on his chest before she answered, "beautiful and perfect."

The lad could only chuckle heartily.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Yuuzuki came home together with Yukina, some of the Rookie nine together with their families was already there. The matriarchs were helping Naruto in preparation for their New Year's Eve party.

Whatever comfortable noise hanging over the place was broken when Ino shrieked before chasing Chouji who was carrying a slice of meat with a big kitchen knife.

"How many times do I have to tell you to let me finish cooking before you eat?" Ino asked, the knife waving in the air dangerously. "Coward!" she hissed when Chouji hid behind his best friend.

"Calm down, Ino!" Shikamaru said as he also evaded the knife that came to close. He knew what he said was wrong when the fire in her eyes burned fiercer. Damn!

"I-ino!" he said, leaning back. This was just so troublesome.

But everybody knew such was Ino's way of making Chouji stay from the kitchen for the rest of the day. Shikamaru knew Ino wouldn't dare or even thought of plunging the knife but that almost crazed glint in her eyes scared him.

Just then, a soft clang was heard as Temari who came to her lazy husband's rescue, swung her fan to swat the knife which came in contact with her fan's metallic frame. Of course, her action wasn't strong enough to hurt Ino.

"You better get back to the kitchen before Sakura decides to take charge over your dish," she said. And she smirked when Ino hurriedly left.

Fuurin looked away, a bit embarrassed to see his mother saving his father. It wasn't exactly an uncommon sight but his father should do something about it or his male pride became nothing and things would get too troublesome. He sighed and got back to his shougi game with Shouhei.

"Make way for the king of the kitchen," Naruto said melodiously as he joined the others in the kitchen. He looked around for something and when he didn't find it, he muttered, "It's not yet delivered, I see."

"Hey, dobe!" came the voice from the doorway.

"Welcome home, bastard."

"I got everything you wrote in the list," he informed as he placed the grocery bag on the counter. Naruto had sent him for some last-minute shopping. "Since I was just around the block, I decided to get the fish you ordered. And some assorted sashimi."

His wife gave him a grateful smile.

"If you need anything, just tell me." And with that he left.

Sakura giggled at the couple's cuteness. She never thought or imagined that her two volatile former teammates could be so domesticated with each other. They definitely tamed each other. Her giddiness disappeared as she stared at the teaspoon she was holding. She looked at the recipe book then at her mixing bowl. She couldn't remember if she had already added three teaspoons of soy sauce to the mixture or was it still two? Damn.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Two hours later everybody was present. Everybody but Neji, Hinata and their families because their clan had their own party. But despite their absence, the rest were still enjoying.

And like always, food and beverages were flowing. Voices and music alternately drowning each other.

An hour before midnight the party shifted outside the house because there were no more signs of nimbus clouds. And being the shinobis that they were, some of the younger generation started competing on how many bull's eye targets they could hit within fifteen seconds. But they dropped everything they did to join the ten-second countdown.

As the clock stroke midnight, the sky above the Uchiha complex was beautifully brightened with fireworks.

"Happy New year!" somebody shouted to the heavens as they exchanged greetings with one another.

With smiles, they welcomed the New Year warmly.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Past two in the morning, everybody had left already and the Uchida mansion was now as silent as the rest of Konoha. By the left window of the master bedroom, Naruto stood, silently watching outside. His gaze shifted to the window glass when an arm slid around his waist and a chest pressed against his back. He leaned back and covered the arm with his. He looked at the reflection. Him and Sasuke. Him and Naruto.

Closing his eyes and with a soft smile on his lips, he said, "we survived another year, bastard. I wonder what this year has in store for us."

"Hmm... It doesn't matter as long as we work together and as hard as last year," Sasuke said.

"Or harder."

"Hn."

All Naruto could see behind his eyes was their reflection in the mirror and he smiled at it. Suddenly, there was a sharp sound as their image cracked causing Naruto to open his eyes. Upon realizing that it was only his imagination, his heartbeat started slowing down. Surely that wasn't an omen of their not so distant future, right? He convinced himself that it definitely wasn't. But deep inside him, his nerves seemed to tingle with fear.

He looked at their reflection once more then to Sasuke's eyes which had been staring at him since God knows when. Through the mirror, they gazed at each other. The blonde tilted his head to the side to receive Sasuke's kiss.

It was soft, slow but deep and powerful. It was a gesture of feelings no words could properly express.

_Even if all glasses in the world breaks; even when the world shatters, I won't let you go._

Unable to endure it, Naruto turned around and cupped his husband's face.

"My dearest husband," he whispered achingly. His most beloved- the force that made him undergo and bear all of Jiraiya's, Kakashi's and Yamato's training.

_If only words and gestures were adequate enough to express the depth of my feelings._

"Na-ru-to," Sasuke whispered lovingly and reverently. His fingers ghosting over to caress his cheek. Then slid to settle at the back of Naruto's head as his wife stood on his toes to rain him with gentle kisses.

It was almost like an eternity, before those soft lips settled over his and when it did, Sasuke responded eagerly. Hungrily.

Naruto opened his eyes to stare at Sasuke who had his close. To hold Sasuke this close was his happiness. Happiness tainted with the constant fear that the dark-haired man would be snatched away from him no matter how alert he was.

He loved him so much that it hurt to think that the possibility of losing his love was very high. As he thought of that, a singe tear rolled from each of his eyes.

_What would be left of me if you are no more?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Early morning, dressed in kimono, the Uchiha family like every other family went to the temple to silently pray for their wishes and hopes. After that the Uchiha kids went to join their friends while the Rookie nine and Gai's team ended up gathered at a casual restaurant.

This time their drinking was controlled. It was just enough to make them more relax. Somewhere along their little session, somebody started bringing up what they were when they were still kids. Everybody started pitching in what they could remember. Others exaggerated embarrassing moments just to humiliate the said person. Kiba and Naruto competed in this area. Neji and Sasuke competed in who could throw the sharpest glare every time they were being lightly ridiculed. After all, they were geniuses and their kind was never caught in any embarrassing moment.

Sasuke took surreptitious glances from his wife. Gone was the stains of sadness he felt from the blonde at dawn. He didn't have to ask to know who was causing them. He was feeling what Naruto was feeling. No matter how many promises they made to each other, those weren't assurances. Nothing could assure them that eternity was theirs. It was impossible but Sasuke wanted to paint eternity with his two hands and cover them with it.

_To bask in your presence, why is it so painful and exhilarating at the same time?_

Naruto's voice snapped him out from his thoughts.

"Right, Sasuke?" the blonde said once more.

Without asking, he nodded causing most of their friends to laugh. Whatever Naruto said, it must be something as even Neji and Shino were chuckling quietly. He frowned.

"What did you say, dobe?" he asked, even though it was too late.

The blonde just gave him a mischievous smile. He scowled and reached to grab him but the latter quickly danced away from arms.

_All I want now is to hold you in my arms until our time stops moving..._

"Get back here."

Naruto childishly stuck his tongue out. Sasuke was about to stand up when something came to his mind.

"Bastard!" Naruto all but shouted when Sasuke started eating his ramen.

_This bastard could only be a bastard when you're by my side so please… please… just…_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The next morning, Yukina groaned when she became conscious with her surrounding. She didn't want to wake up to the fact that Yuuzuki had already left for his mission but knew that denial could only do so much. She had to accept it because she was a kunoichi too. She wasn't a princess waiting for her prince. But she was waiting and if she was going to wait then she decided to let her waiting be productive. If she works hard enough then surely time would move fast. With this in mind, she stretched her body before walking to the bathroom.

_I'll work hard here so you work hard too._

**TBC**

**-----oo-----**

Yuuzuki scored.

Age update: Yuuzuki is 17, Akemi is 12, Miki is 10 and Kisho is 7.


	55. 絶望

**You know what goes here and the next line.**

Hey the horizontal bar works now. Yipee! Anyway, for those who were asking about Sasu and Naru's age. I've been computing as I had never focus too much of their age when writing each chapters. I mean all I consider is a rough estimation but now that a lot of reviewers asked for their ages... I think Sasu and Naru are 39 years old.

* * *

**Chapter 55: Desperation**

Tsunade looked at the 10-year-old Miki from her office window and she smiled. The girl was definitely becoming her legacy. She turned around when there was a knock on her door and a person strode in.

"You summoned me?"

The Godaime nodded and said, "There's something I need you to do."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Practice ends now," Mao said. There was no trace of exhaustion on her although she had joined her team in their six-hour training.

Even though, Team Two were relieved to hear it they didn't show it in their face. To do so would cause their sensei extending their training for another hour or so and right now they had enough. Their legs trembled with exhaustion but they stood firm waiting for her dismissal that always came to slow for them.

Mao looked at the sky first before shifting her gaze back to her students. "Kazuo and Shuu… you guys are dismissed. Miki, come with me." With that she started walking away.

Both of her teammates gave her a worried glance. This was the first time their sensei had asked her to stay. Miki shrugged her shoulders.

"Go on, you two," she said, dismissing them with a smile. "Enjoy your late date," she added with a wink.

"But Miki," Shuu started protesting but his blond friend just smiled.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." With that she left to follow her teacher into the deeper part of the training grounds. She looked surprised when she saw her teacher sitting down and with her eyes closed. She looked almost normal.

"There's something I want to teach you," she said.

The blond genin waited for her teacher to continue but she didn't. She remained quiet. Miki gasped when she found herself falling backwards and grunted when her back hit on the ground. Hard.

She tried to move but realized that something was holding her tight.

"A thread made of woman's hair is a better rope, ne?" Mao commented calmly as she opened her eyes. And this time that sadistic glint in her eyes was back.

_Oh God_

Miki had to admit that it was true but she could break it with her chakra. At least that was what she believed and she tried but nothing happened.

"And that is chakra-resistant," her teacher added. "No matter how big the amount of chakra you feed, it won't break. It will only absorb them." Mao stood up and approached her student. "I suggest you stop moving or using your chakra. It would be a pity if this thread would start cutting your skin."

"What do you want?" Miki asked almost angrily. She wasn't exactly known for her calmness especially when she was caught off guard and she was exhausted.

The older kunoichi chuckled wickedly, "For you to realize something on your own. You have to break free from your prison while you're at it."

Miki looked away. Knowing her teacher, this wasn't the only trap she had prepared. Perhaps, there were exploding tags surrounding her. And she was right. Mao had carefully placed exploding tags around the place and Miki must destroy them simultaneously.

"You can take your time, Miki," the jounin continued as she went back to where she sat before. "You have all the time in the world. I'll accompany you her throughout the time of your captivity." She gave her a grin that freaked her out. As if it wasn't enough, her teacher pulled out a cloth, few threads and a needle. What the hell? Her teacher was cross-stitching!

Mao took a seed from her sleeve and applied a chakra. A few seconds later, nothing happened. Could it be that the string was dampening her chakra or was there a talisman with that power being posted near the place? She felt the thread tightening around her, slowly digging into her skin.

Would her teacher finally be able to break her?

Much to her frustration and annoyance her teacher started humming a song.

"You could start shouting for help," Mao suggested but she knew Miki was too proud to do that. Even if help would come, she would make sure no one would interfere her teaching. Even if the help came in the form of Sasuke or Naruto, she'd explain that she was doing under the orders of Tsunade. Yes, the former hokage had asked her to correct one of Miki's habits.

Miki had always believed in strength and power. She believed in them so much that she firmly thought that with them, she could get everything she wanted. All of her clashes against enemies and most of her missions were completed through brute power and strength. Tsunade and Mao thought it was wrong. It just went against the balance of strength, power and intelligence. Miki had these three but she never used the last one when it comes to battle. Now, both of them wanted to correct it before it would jeopardize the younger kunoichi.

Mao suspected that the reason why Miki was like this was because of Tsunade. Her student had met Tsunade when she had already made a title of herself as one of the legendary sannin. By then, her reputation as one of the strongest precede her so anything she wanted, she could get it with just a display of her power. There was no need to think or come up with plans because showing her strength was enough. It was more than enough, actually.

Trap. Completely trap. That was all she could think of. She couldn't get herself to go beyond that fact. She couldn't use all her techniques. They were rendered useless making her feel frustrated with herself. Her eyes burned as tears started forming in her eyes. The more she didn't want to cry, the more tears gathered until they slipped to the ground.

_Pathetic_, she told herself.

Mao looked at Miki who was angrily glaring at the sky and trying to hold back the tears. She smiled. It was high time for this girl to meet desperation. In order to free herself, she had to think just like what her brother did during the jounin exam. Her brother's performance had been very marvelous. To be able to think of a plan very quickly while being pressured was very remarkable. He was truly a genius.

"Strength and power is not everything, Miki," she said. "I thought it was being taught in the academy or you had known by now, after all you passed the genin exam."

Miki hated the disappointment in her teacher's voice. She hated her teacher for making her feel so damned helpless. She hated her. No question.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Where's Miki?" Sasuke asked as he stepped inside the dining room.

"A medic-nin was sent here saying that Tsunade had sent Miki to do some research for her," Kisho explained. "The medic-nin even brought a letter. I handed it to chichiue awhile ago."

"I see. So she's not coming home tonight?"

The youngest Uchiha shrugged his shoulders, "beats me. I didn't read the letter."

Just then Naruto walked in and sat on his chair. "Is Miki coming home tonight?"

The blonde shook his head, "Letter states that it depends if she would accomplish her task."

"She might be pushing Miki to her limits," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto shook his head, "She's not that type of a person. Whatever she asks of Miki it must be something good for her."

"Hn."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Few hours had past and night had fallen silent on the training grounds and yet Miki was still bound. She looked more exhausted. She had been trying to get out from her confines by her chakra, refusing to believe that what she had gained through her efforts couldn't help her escape. But now close to giving up, she began to think that all her efforts and time in training was useless.

Mao sighed at Miki's stubbornness and pride. It was okay to be stubborn and proud because she too was those things as well. But unlike the girl, she knew when to stop being those when circumstances demand her to do so. Hell, she knew when to throw away what situations would label as baggage.

"Y'know I wouldn't mind if you give up," she taunted. She loved the girl's struggles.

_Break._

She smelled blood before she saw it under the moonlight. The wire had broken her skin. A part of her was alarmed. What would Tsunade say if she learned about this? After all, the Godaime had specifically warned her not to be so harsh this time around or else she'd be punished severely.

Miki knew her teacher was enjoying immensely. But she told herself not to get more irritated than she already was. She forced herself to relax so she could think and ignore the biting pain caused by her confines.

She let the silence fill her being, blanketing the din within her. She listened to the voices of the wind. This time, thoughts flowed smoothly.

What did her sensei want her to learn? Teamwork? No, that couldn't be. Within Team Two, she was the one who knew the dynamics of teamwork best. Besides, if it was about teamwork, then wouldn't it be more effective if Shuu and Kazuo were with her? Could it be independence? But she also knew that. She wasn't called one of the dynamic kunoichi for nothing. What the hell was she lacking? Whatever it was, it was obvious Mao sensei wanted her to figure it out on her own. And the key to that has something to do with her state.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke walked to the mahogany desk in their bedroom to grab a book when his eyes caught something gleaming from beneath the few folders inside the open drawer.

He took it out and frowned at the hitaiate. _His scratched hitaeate._ The symbol of his shame. The evidence of his crime. Didn't he tell Naruto to throw it away for numerous times?

"Sasu-"

"Naruto, how many times did I tell you to throw this away?" he asked in a clipped tone.

The blonde snatched it away and held it close to his chest. "So?"

"Naruto,-"

His wife glared at him, "This reminded me of your defection and your attempt of murder." At this Sasuke flinched. "But it also reminded of the moment when I realized I love you." It reminded him of how weak he was that he couldn't even save the bastard. It reminded him of a promise he made to never let such incident happen. Ever again.

Knowing that he couldn't win against Naruto's stubbornness, he decided to give up. "Do whatever you like," he said.

The blonde smiled. "More importantly, didn't you promise to help me look for the first book edition of Politics and Economy Integration?"

"I said if I'm not busy," the Uchiha leader replied.

Naruto looked at him before he plucked the book from his hands and tossed it back to the table. "You're just trying to look like you're busy," he shamelessly accused.

Sasuke let himself be dragged towards the library.

Naruto growled when his husband halted suddenly. He looked over his shoulder and saw obsidian eyes unfocused and darting sideward back and forth.

"Sasuke?" he called out worriedly and continued when his spouse looked at him. "Is there something wrong?"

"Of course not." His blonde looked doubtful, prompting Sasuke to say, "When did I lie to you?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders and resumed dragging Sasuke who was frowning. Why did his sight turned foggy then white in an instant? He looked at the tanned hand on his wrist before he fell in step with his wife and took his hand in his.

_Please let me stay longer._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

_C'mon, Miki think. Medical stuffs aren't the only thing in your head._

Miki let her eyes wander around. Knowing Mao, she knew her prison might be complicated than it looked. Her teacher liked the sounds of explosion so her trap must have that. She also liked seeing the beauty of blood so anything that could be considered as weapon should be around. Her binds were chakra-resistant and tightened every time she used large amount of chakra. She cocked an eyebrow as something dawned on her.

What would happen if...?

It was worth the risk. Besides, her body would heal very soon anyway. With that thought, she let her chakra trickle to the ground little by little. With concentration, she guided the flow of her chakra towards the trees almost three meters away from them.

She smiled when the thread didn't tighten around her. She increased the amount up to the limit where the thread started digging into her flesh.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto akimbo in front of Sasuke who was sitting on a chair.

"What's bothering you?" he inquired with his voice lace in irritation.

Sasuke smirked before asking, "Is there anyone else aside from you who bothers me in a good way?" His smirk deepened when red dusted whiskered cheeks. He slowly guided Naruto to straddle him. He chuckled before he pressed feather-like kisses on the blonde's neck with his fingers caressing the patch of his chest unhidden by the kimono.

Naruto gulped as he felt his kimono being parted. "Bastard, we really need to find that book tonight," he said. His mind wanted to move away but his body was too stubborn to follow its order. He threw his head back, giving more room for that wicked mouth to ravish while his hands slipped under Sasuke's kimono, running on familiar ground… his territory.

"I promise we'll find it before midnight. But before that let me savor this moment."

_Because 'goodbye' is drawing nearer than I thought._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki smiled as she learned that she could control the trees. She let her chakra spread around the plants surrounding her. It was the only way to search for the explosion tags and whatever weapons her sensei had hidden. Luckily there were just explosion tags. Few seconds later twigs as sharp as knife poised above the papers before they slashed the tags into two simultaneously.

Because each sheet had her chakra, Mao knew they were destroyed but she didn't show it on her face. _What now, Miki?_ She thought. Even though the girl destroyed the tags, she couldn't break free using the trees. She could only manipulate the trees as long as they were half meter away from the wires.

Miki was aware of that so she made another plan. She started moving her hands towards her weapon pouch ignoring the pain as the skin on her arms and wrist were being peeled in her every movement. After a lot of endurance and effort on her part, she finally grabbed one of her kunai. She clumsily slid the binds on her hands against it and in doing so the weapon cut her left arm. She had slit a vein but she continued on her task.

A rush of sensation gripped her as she finally freed herself. She was halfway to standing up when she dropped to the ground. All the struggles and the concentration had consumed what energy was left from the group's daily training.

Mao kneeled beside her and started tending to her wounds. "Did you learn something from this, Miki?" she inquired.

"You're more cold-hearted and sadistic than I thought."

"I see," the older kunoichi said while thinking of another method to use. The blonde probably notice it because she added immediately, "strength, power and intelligence should go hand in hand. When one is missing, it is fatal."

Her sensei nodded, "good work."

Miki's smile faltered as she collapsed in Mao's arms.

Mao looked at her and rubbed the dirt from her face, "you still have a lot of ways to go."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke bit back a moan as his hips met Naruto's for another rough thrust.

_I never want to part from you._

"Y'know this afternoon, I fell asleep while reading those boring reports and dream of us having almost two dozens of grandchildren," Naruto narrated as he moved up and down. Talking was so difficult when Sasuke's hard shaft was slipping in and out from him slickly and wonderfully. "They were playing and we were laughing with them. It was so beautiful that I was disappointed that it was only a dream." He cupped Sasuke's face, "let's work hard to make it a reality, okay?"

Sasuke knew Naruto was asking for another promise. But this time, he didn't want to indulge the blonde. Promises were just temporary assurance of their fear. Someday, their promises would be broken leaving them with tears, pain and loneliness. They had to stop fooling themselves that there was forever for them.

_Why is even the thought of goodbye so heartbreaking? Why must there be a goodbye?_

"Right, Sasuke?" Smoky eyes were still waiting and expecting his words. He caressed a damp left cheek, "Naruto..."

"Ne, Sasuke?" the blonde's voice was desperate and forceful.

_Please, please tell me we will. Please let me hear what I wanted. Even if they are just lies, I find comfort in them._

Sasuke pulled him down for a quick kiss. "Of course, I will."

_Even if it's a lie, I want to believe. I want you to see our future even if it's painted with deception._

Naruto wrapped his arms around him. "I love being with you. I love it when you're inside me. I love 'us'." _I even love the lies we created for one another._

Even if the hope they were holding was fake, they held it close because it gave them strength to move forward closer to the future they painfully wanted.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki woke up to the smell of breakfast. She felt like she hadn't slept because her body was still too sore to move and her chakra was still so slow. She stumbled to the bathroom where a new towel was prepared for her.

She groped her way towards the kitchen and on the table was a breakfast good for one. She looked around and realized it was already seven in the morning meaning her sadistic teacher had already left the place.

While eating her breakfast, she checked on her wounds and realized they were half-healed. But it was reasonable because her chakra was still low. After consuming the food, she washed the dishes. Out of good manners and respect, she left a note for Mao thanking her for her hospitality before she left.

Miki leaned against a wall of some establishment. She wished she hadn't left Mao's place yet if she was still too weak to continue walking. But she wasn't exactly comfortable in that place, a fact proven with the shallowness of her sleep last night.

Fighting oblivion, she made her way towards the inclined grass-covered lakeshore and in there she let herself be taken to nowhere.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

She didn't know how long she been out but it must had been for quite a time now because the sun was already high and the temperature was hot. Just then a warm breeze blew by causing a scent of grass and something like a faint perfume to reach to her nostrils. At that unfamiliar scent, she tensed and sat up, only to find something falling from her shoulders to her knees.

She looked at the flak jacket and realized belatedly that she was no longer alone. She turned to her left and saw Shouhei sitting an arm's length away.

The Hyuuga smiled, "Good morning, Miki." Then he frowned as he reprimanded her gently, "You shouldn't sleep in an open space. It's dangerous." Shouhei had just came home from an A-class mission and was on his way home after a short debriefing with the Rokudaime when he had spotted his secret love out cold unguarded. Despite his exhaustion, he had stayed to watch over her.

"I couldn't help it," she muttered sleepily.

"What happened to you?" he asked worriedly as he noticed that bandages around her arms and legs.

"Training," she smiled and continued, "but I'm fine." Confusion dawned on her face when Shouhei placed a small packet between them.

The lad tilted his head to the side just to hide the soft blush he was sure was on his face as he explained. "We had a mission in the Land Waterfall and there was a festival there. One stall was selling some beautiful scarves I bet you'd like to add to your collection." It was no secret that the only girl in the Uchiha had a fixation on silk scarves with beautiful drawings and that she had one big drawer reserved for her collection. He watched as her fingers gently open the packet and drew four silk scarves.

Miki gasped as she spread out the gift. Each of the scarves depicted each season at its peak. It was like the pieces of cloth had sucked the essence of one particular scene.

Shouhei smiled at the exquisite expression on the girl's face.

The kunoichi smiled, "I love them. Thank you."

The lad just shrugged as if her smile and her words were nothing. He countered the smile back, "Now that you're up. I'll walk you home. It would be better if you continue sleeping there."

She laughed softly – a sound that was music to her secret admirer's ears before she nodded in agreement.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Miki came home around eleven, her disheveled and tired state made Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

"I'm home," Miki murmured.

Sasuke sighed and without warning, he swept his little girl in his arms, carrying her bridal-style.

"Otousan?"

"We seriously need to treat those wounds," he said, never bothering to ask what she had been doing to get her in that state. Such question was reserved when Miki was already in a better state. He carried her to the master's bedroom and placed her on their clean bed.

"Would you like to take a shower?"

"I already had one at Mao-sensei's place. She also took care of my wounds."

Sasuke frowned. He had no idea, other than sleep, for chakra recovery. And perhaps food? Naruto always made him eat his favorite food when his chakra was always low. Being someone who has the smallest chakra reserve in their family, his chakra reaching a low point happened a lot.

"Lunch?"

She smiled weakly, "Lunch would be good. Can I have cheesecake for dessert?"

"Of course, princess," Sasuke answered with a mocking bow, eliciting a chuckle from the only girl in his life. With that, he left to prepare lunch.

Miki settled deeper in her parents' big bed. She smiled contently as she smelled their scent. The mixed scent of her fathers always never failed to comfort her when she ached within and without because it was as if they were embracing her at the same time. In no time, she fell in a deep peaceful slumber where she dreamt of four arms protectively and strongly holding her little form.

When Sasuke who was carrying his daughter's lunch went inside, he found Miki deeply asleep and there was a small and soft smile on her lips. He placed the tray on the table and approached her sleeping form. He brushed few strands from her forehead before he dropped a light kiss on that area.

"Dream a wonderful dream, Mi-chan," he whispered softly before he left taking the tray with him.

_Oh, sweet child, be at peace for I will watch over you throughout your lifetime. _

_I will hold you close to comfort you_

_And with my eternal love, I will vanquish what haunts you._

_Be at peace, little one._

**TBC**

* * *

... 


	56. 危険な少年たち

**mou: Tsunade cared and that was why she gave Mao a warning. Mao cared too. She was even worried when she saw Miki's blood. She even took the girl into her apartment and look after her wounds. She cares for her students especially Miki in her own sadistic way. Although Miki is 10 years old, she is already a genin and with her excelling in the field of medicine, it won't be long before she'll be sent to missions more dangerous than the ones her team had. For that, Tsunade had to teach her.**

**sorakitty: mind if you give me your e-mail add?**

**As usual, thank you for your reviews for the previous chapter and enjoy this one. It's not much.**

* * *

**Chapter 56: Dangerous boys**

Sasuke's lips quirked in a ghostly smile as Makoto looked at his cup of coffee longingly for the nth time for the past ten minutes.

Starting today and for the next three days, the annual inter-hidden village school sports festival would be held at Snow country and all senior students of every village academy were invited to watch and cheer for their schools. Being seniors, Makoto, Kazushi and Shigure had spent the night at the Uchiha mansion so they, including Kisho, could go to the south gates which were the rendezvous of the participants and seniors alike.

"Naruto, why don't you give Makoto..." at this the child's face brightened with hope. "... another glass of juice?" the Uchiha leader said. He took note how the boy's face suddenly disappointed.

Kazushi kicked his friend's shin before leaning towards him to say, "you're too young to drink coffee even Uchiha-san thinks too."

"Who's participating in the festival again?" Naruto asked as the children started eating.

"Just Kazushige and Makoto," Shigure answered.

"What about you guys?" Sasuke inquired, abandoning the morning newspaper to join the conversation.

"I don't like sports," the boy replied.

"Boring," Kisho answered. Being better than anyone else, Kisho find no interest or pleasure in competition. He didn't like seeing others struggling while he do things easily and quickly. What was the point of winning when he'd be fighting against someone who couldn't even give a challenge?

Naruto sighed. Their son's lack of interest on everything but the things he did with his close friends alarmed both him and Sasuke. They were worried that he would become someone who would drift through life. And yet they couldn't find anything that interest. But at least, Kisho was enjoying with his friends and for now that was enough.

"You better hurry up," Sasuke told them. "You only have fifteen minutes left before departure time."

"Is there anything you need from Snow Country?" Kisho asked.

"None that I can think of," his chichiue said while his otousan shook his head.

"You guys take care of each other okay? And always listen to your teachers," Naruto told them.

"Yeah yeah," they all chorused lightly.

"I'm serious here."

"We're too!" They replied seriously except that a second later they were giggling.

Naruto just sighed. Was he like this too when he was still young?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Most of the Konoha students let out appreciative noises as grounds untouched by snow and embraced by spring came into view. They had been walking on snow for what seemed like forever so they were relieved when they finally saw green instead of white.

"It seemed like two seasons arrive in one place at the same time," Makoto commented appreciatively. Being someone whose passion lies in drawing and painting, he looked deeper into the picturesque scene than the rest of the group.

"I heard that although it is the country's winter season, the queen had excluded some places for the sports festival," Kisho told them.

"So we're playing away from snow?" Kazushi said with relief. "I don't want to freeze while playing soccer."

"Some games will be held in snow-covered areas for endurance or something but soccer isn't included of course," Shigure added while wondering why snow-sculpturing wasn't a sport.

"Boys!" a teacher's voice rang out. "Get those feet moving."

Makoto stayed few seconds longer to commit the scene to his memory before he ran after his friends who were few steps ahead of him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yuuzuki and his team were gathered in a discreet and cramp room of some abandoned warehouse for their weekly meeting. For two months, Yuuzuki and his team didn't do anything to gather information because for that period, they let people especially their employers adjust to their presence. They were working at establishment considered as top information banks. While Tomo worked as a bartender at a bar frequented by the rich, Kazue worked at a nightclub popular among the poor. Taiyo and Yuuzuki worked at two famous whorehouses as hall staff and errand boy respectively.

Yuuzuki looked pleased after hearing his team's report. "Then immersion phase is a success," he concluded.

"That goes without saying," Kazue said. Although their team wasn't the best in doing recon missions, they still excel in that area enough to be recognized.

"Then let Phase two begin."

"Finally," Tomo commented. He was always the most impatient person when doing mission such as this for the sole reason that he couldn't go wild. But despite his impatience, he still performed well.

"Don't forget the usual precautions and stuffs," their captain told them as a dismissal.

Wordlessly and silently they became shadows as they left the place and parted ways. They wouldn't meet each other until the next two weeks when they would be exchanging information as well as handing their written report to their leader. And every month they would mine their gathered information for data before sending everything to the hokage.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Makoto, Shigure, Kazushi and Kisho had used the excuse of going to the toilet to sneak out from the gymnasium where the opening ceremony was being held. In their opinion, wandering around was better than standing in line and listening to short speeches.

"Hey check this snow flake out," Kisho called out to his friends. "It has a different structure than the other one."

The three boys gathered around and 'ahh'ed at it.

"Let's look for more snow flakes and see how many designs are there," Kazushi suggested.

"No way," the amethyst-eyed boy burst out. "I prefer this." He kicked lumps of snow towards the others who let out a chorus of indignant protest. Makoto just giggled.

"This means war you coffee-" Kisho never finished his sentence as a snowball smacked right into his face. Letting out a war cry, he started throwing snowballs at the same time dodging those that were coming towards him.

Kazushi screamed as his blonde friend slipped a handful of snow into his back. The latter choked in mid-laughter when Shigure shoved some snow into his mouth.

"That was low," he said after spitting and yet his eyes were moving in silent merriment.

And they continued their little war. Kazushi leaned back letting the ice ball passed by him. Accidentally, it hit a passerby. Makoto's throw had been strong that the object left a red mark on the man's forehead. Worse, the man's head had snapped backwards during impact.

"Hey mister!" they called out. "Are you okay?" Kazushi continued to ask on behalf of his friend.

"I'm sorry," Makoto added sincerely.

Since apology was already made, they were about to start playing again when they realize that an angry Ino was with them. "So this is where the toilet is, eh?" she asked, bolts of lightning flashing in her eyes.

The boys sobered and put on their innocent looks.

"We got lost," Makoto explained. He trained his uncanny purple eyes... eyes that seemed to suck Ino with its beauty and lucidity to everywhere and nowhere.

"Lame," Ino said bringing her fist on the boy's head none-too-gently. She knew their sense of direction was above average because she saw their results of such test.

"It's really the truth," Kazushi insisted. "The place is like a maze and before we knew it we ended up here."

A platinum blond eyebrow arched, "playing snow?"

Kisho toed the ground, "so this is snow, huh? We thought we are in this huge freezer."

The teacher gaped at the blonde boy who was looking at her with his no-nonsense and honest face. She would have been convinced if she didn't know better.

She tapped her cheek, "few pathways here needs snow shoveling and-"

They hadn't shoveled snow even once in there life but they had shoveled soil and their experience with the latter told them that the former would be as tiring as the latter.

"C'mon teach..." Shigure said. "A beauty shouldn't be cruel."

Ino couldn't help but laugh. "Flattery will get you to nowhere."

"Telling the truth doesn't count as one."

The teacher sighed. "Let's return to the gym."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Although Kazushi was tired from his game, he couldn't rest yet. As punishment for sneaking earlier away, he and his friends were asked to write a reaction paper about the first day of the sports festival.

"Why did you sneak away, anyway?" his team captain asked in a patronizing tone.

"Why didn't you?" the doll-looking boy countered. He didn't like the tone the other boy was using. What he did with his close friends wasn't a crime or an offense.

"You're doing what my reason is."

Kazushi snorted, "then you're missing a lot of fun." He walked away never bothering to wait for his captain's reply.

**-SasuNaru is love­-**

The next afternoon found the four boys having another snowball fight in an empty lakeside. This time, their fight was more organized. It was two against two. Kazushi and Kisho against Makoto and Shigure.

The three boys tensed when they felt Shigure's invisible barrier encased them suddenly just in time to protect them from the objects that were moving towards them so fast. The shield rippled and bounced like jelly as the objects- snowballs bigger than theirs collided with it. Judging from the sound the balls made as they hit the ground and the way they embed themselves into the snow, the Konoha students knew it was harder than a rock. They shivered at the thought of what would happen if it had hit them. They knew their fun was going to be interrupted when they saw seven men looking at them menacingly. One of them was the man they had accidentally hit. Even though none of them had worn hitaeate, the boys knew they were ninjas.

"We're about to teach you a lesson," one of them announced haughtily as they advanced towards.

The Konoha inhabitants looked at each other and instantly arrived in a decision. They nodded and made a quick dash. But the men had blocked their way in a split of second. They were cornered and the only thing they could do; the only acceptable thing for them to do was to fight.

"What the fuck?" cried out the man whom the boys labeled as Mister A. The man looked down at his body which was moving on its own. He glanced at the boy he was supposed to attack and found his target staring at him apathetically, looking every bit like a doll.

Kazushi was no longer smiling nor looking friendly. His face was devoid of any emotions. "You're my puppet now," he stated solemnly as he started moving his arms to guide Mister A to attack his comrade closest to him.

It was during times like this when he was using his technique that he missed his deceased beloved older sister – Meiko so much. Having a mother who was an expert seamstress had amplified her love for dolls. Her room was full of these fragile things and she loved dressing them up with the clothes she made. She also loved playing with them, creating different stories and scenes which always amused Kazushi who grew up listening and watching her looking after her dolls. When she had died in an accident, Kazushi had continued her collection and made her room into what his family called 'doll house'. But that wasn't the only thing he did. In remembrance for his sister, he had created a technique that allowed him to control his enemies like dolls. To do that, he had trained himself to produce thin-as-a-thread but very strong chakra. He called it as 'ito-chakra'. This kind of chakra would hit the nerve patches to make his target's body numb before winding around their limbs. In order to know which nerves to hit, he had spent almost a year studying the human body and experimenting with animals and then finally with himself.

"Watch where you're going!" Mister C shouted to Mister A who almost stabbed him with a kunai.

"I'm not at fault. He's controlling me," the other man retorted while trying to break free. The boy just snorted at the man's futile struggle. His technique grew stronger as he got older and so far nobody had defeated it and he was sure that this man wasn't going to be the one who'd be able to do it.

And while Kazushi manipulated his movements he mentally started narrating the fight as if it was a story.

_Because Mister A was upset at Mister C for taking away his girlfriend he decided to attack him furiously. Mister C managed to dodge to save his heart but the kunai had cut his arm in the process. Droplets of blood stained the innocence-covered ground._

"Where's your weapon, boy?" Mister B asked Shigure. "Oh! I forgot you're still students," he said laughing. He chortled as something zip passed his cheek. He winced as he felt pain from the cut on his cheek.

"What are you saying, mister?" Shigure asked. "My weapons are here." He then proceeded to show his left fist with strips of paper in between his fingers. Before his opponent could comment, he threw another strip, snipping few strands of the man's hair as he intentionally missed his face.

The ability to make things sharp was his family's bloodline limit. Contrary to the belief of people outside his clan, they didn't change the objects' molecular structure. What they did was to coat the object's molecules with their unique chakra and the amount of the chakra applied decides the objects' sharpness, strength and stiffness depended on the amount of chakra applied. It was because of their bloodline limit that made them the ideal candidate for assassination.

Mister B snorted. The technique wasn't a big deal. As long as he could dodge and counter, he'd be fine. His hands quickly made hand seals. Instantly an ice barrier appeared in front of him.

"Don't be cocky," Shigure snapped as his paper strips easily pierced through the ice. He watched as the man clumsily dodged them. He proceeded to swing his left arm as he turned around to counter Mister D's attack.

The older man's jaw dropped and his eyes bulged as his short sword was broken into two. What the hell is this boy? was the question that flashed through his mind. He never had the experience of fighting someone who could make weapons out of things much less someone who could turn his arm sharper than a sword.

Shigure took the man's moment of surprise to plunge his three fingers into both of his opponent's thighs deep enough to render him incapable of fighting for that day.

This was his bloodline limit's ultimate form. And he was the only one in his generation who had it. Because of that, he was the perfect assassin and even though he belonged to the branch family, he was appointed as the next leader. Being born into a clan having such bloodline and having the title of the perfect assassin, he knew what his future would be - dripping with blood; littered with corpses and stinking with the stench of death. That was why before he'd plunge into the crimson sea, he wanted to create happy memories to give him buoyancy. To protect his friends meant saving himself from drowning in blood in the near future.

Mister G looked almost in trance when Makoto's eyes started to glow as it turned to a deeper shade of amethyst. It was so dark that it was as if all the purple in the world came from his eyes.

_Beautiful_, was what he thought before pain exploded in his chest. It was a pain he never felt before. It was a sharp and throbbing pain that came from within. He fell to the ground clutching his chest. "Is this a bloodline limit?" he managed to gasp.

Makoto snorted. What he had was no bloodline limit but the price of his mother's deed when she was still a priestess.

His mother was twenty years old when she was asked by the people in her village to drive away the evil spirit who was occupying the only village well. The spirit was fierce and stubborn but his mother managed to drove it away at the price of being cursed. She had dismissed it but the next day she found out that her jade eyes had turned amethyst and anybody who came even three meters near her felt intense pain in different parts of their body. Unable to bear seeing other priestesses suffering, she left and isolated herself. Her isolation ended when an onmyouji came to her area to try to get rid of the curse. But no matter what he did, he failed. In the end, he helped her in controlling the curse. A year later, they had married and decided to live in Konoha. The former priestess gave birth to twins and they were relieved when their sons' eyes weren't purple. They thought it was over until Makoto turned five.

Makoto found himself isolated in his room littered with talismans and his father was the only one who had access to him because his father was the only one who can teach him how to stop the curse from taking effect. But his case was slightly different from his mother's because the curse was now connected with his chakra. Almost a year later, he was finally out from his room. One day in his moment of fury, he killed a stray dog that had almost attacked his twin brother. As a result, his mother taught him anger management through meditation while his father had put a limiter on him. It had been his choice to become a ninja and his parents approved it if it meant him having better chakra control.

Whenever he used the curse, his eyes turned into a deeper shade of purple and anybody who was within his paroxysmal zone which has a radius of four meters in minimum suffered in pain. The closer the person was to him, the stronger the pain was.

Noticing his comrade's pain, Mister F leapt away but Makoto extended his zone. Within a second the man screamed and clutched his head.

Loving how they writhe and cry in pain, Makoto applied more chakra and he would have killed them if it weren't for the limiter singeing his skin.

Mister E tumbled to the ground when Kisho landed a direct hit. He coughed blood, tainting the snow. He never thought that a boy as young as his opponent could be very good in taijutsu. The boy's defense was so good that he couldn't deliver a hit. He glanced at his comrades and was shocked at what he saw.

Two of them were fighting each other and the doll-like boy had a maniacal glint in his eyes as his lips moved in a silent murmur. Another was down due to thigh injury while the other was pathetically fighting a boy who looked like he was only toying with. The remaining two were on the ground pale, sweating and screaming. Scared and desperate, he made hand seals which Kisho recognized as a technique that would open the ground and swallow who he wanted to. The blonde, in a blink of an eye appeared in front of the man and gripped one of his wrists stopping him.

With his hair covering his eyes, Kisho said in a strained voice, "I'll kill you." He then looked at the man who immediately paled at the slight transformation the boy underwent. Kisho's eyes were now red and

cat-like and a tomoe had appeared. His canines had grown longer and sharper and there were now three whiskers on each pale cheek. For a second, the older ninja saw a fiendish fox rather than a boy.

The ground shuddered, the frozen surface of the lake shattered and even the snow on the ground melted at the sudden release of Kisho's red chakra.

Mister E fell on his knees, fear totally gripping him. A groan slipped past his trembling lips as he felt his bone almost being crushed not by Kisho's strength but by the chakra the boy used to hold him.

"Please," he managed to croak. He felt the red chakra crawling on him making his skin heavier. If it continues, his chakra system would be overloaded which would lead to his death.

"Then tell your friends to stop attacking mine," Kisho said.

If the man wasn't in pain he would have laughed at the statement's falsity. Couldn't the boy see that his friends were overpowering them?

"WE GIVE UP!" Mister E shouted at the top of his lungs and the others managed to echo it. The boys stopped their assault and looked at them warily as the men crawled and limped away from them.

The three boys looked at the ground which was once covered by snow then at Kisho. He must have realized his error because he immediately started backing away.

"You overdid it," Kazushi said and they ended up chasing after the blonde boy, their earlier battle completely slipping away from their consciousness.

**-SasuNaru is love­-**

"You can't sleep?" Makoto asked as he heard Kisho shifting on his bed for the nth time already.

"I'm not the only one," the boy replied as he changed his position once more to look at his friend who was sitting on his bed while wiping his body with a cold cloth. "Does it still ache even now?" he continued, looking at the glowing text that made no sense to him on his friend's body. All he knew was that the text that ran from Makoto's waist up to his neck was the limiter his father had placed on him. And it only became visible and glow in eerie crimson when Makoto was close to killing.

The amethyst-eyed boy shook his head. "Not really. Its power is getting weaker" But it was understandable because the limiter could only last at the maximum of two years before his father would give him another one. And because he kept on growing stronger, each limiter applied to him was stronger than the previous one. But the limiter didn't prohibit him from killing. It only prevented him as much as possible from committing such act.

"But it's still painful," Kisho argued.

"Only those first few seconds when it is activated but it is not something that I couldn't bear." Then he looked over his shoulder to regard his friend, "Why are you so scared to sleep tonight?"

The other boy shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not."

"Your breathing and tossing in your bed say otherwise." This time his voice was no longer playful but painfully frank and serious.

"..."

"We aren't going to die even in your nightmares, Kisho," he assured. He sighed when his friend just looked at him. He let his chakra reached towards the other bed then said, "you're going to sleep." The only good thing that he got from the curse was the power of suggestion.

"I'm not asking you to do this," Kisho said as he felt his eyes getting heavy.

Makoto smiled, "You never did but we don't want to see you cranky the next day. You're a pain inthe ass when you're." Then he closed his eyes as he started projecting images of meadow he drew in his mind to his blonde friend. Green meadows, crystal clear skies and blue seas had a special place in Kisho's heart and such scenery always lulled him to relaxation and sleep.

Within a minute, the boy was deeply asleep.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The next morning as the Konoha students walked towards the cafeteria in a single line, Kazushi had accidentally bumped into someone who dropped few coins at the sudden impact.

"Kazushi, you should watch where you're going," Makoto said as they started picking up the coins.

"I'm sorry mister," Kazushi said while bowing. He didn't want to cause another battle.

"Brat, do you know-" the man shut up the moment an apologetic Kazushi looked at him.

The other three boys were now extending their hands with his coins while looking at him expectantly.

They recognized the man as one of their opponents the other day.

Before one of the boys could react, the man had already started running away. He continued running never bothering to look back even when he was being called.

Kisho sighed. What was the man's problem anyway? Why was he acting as if he had seen the devil himself?

Behind him Shigure said, "Let's surrender this to the Lost and Found office."

The others nodded.

And the moment they stepped inside the cafeteria, the three of them had to stop Makoto from floating towards the coffee maker.

**TBC**

* * *

Onmyouji is a person who practices onmyoudo which is Japanese esoteric cosmologu - mixture of natural science and occultism. (Taken from Wikipedia)

About the boys, well each of them are different but they are coping up well and they are having fun. They are carefree just like any boys of their age but despite that, there is power that lies beneath that attitude and that's what makes them dangerous.


	57. 彼の世が果てる時

**SasuNaru, yaoi, OOC, M-preg, OCs and unbeta-read**

**Standard disclaimer applies**

**Warning: Torture**

**

* * *

****Chapter 57: When his world shatters...**

The blowing damp and cold air, the echoing sounds of the water dropping to the ground and the resonating silence in the darkness. He was far from his place… from his home.

That was what **_his_** mind registered before he slipped away from consciousness again.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Complementary, compensation and compatibility.

Those were the things the council, the hokage, the Root leader, the top liaison officers and teachers had in mind every time they had to come up with teams among the genin, chuunin, jounin and ANBU members.

Each cell was made up of shinobi whose skills complement and compensate and whose personalities were compatible with each other's. Coming up with teams that met these standard was always difficult and tiring but the result- a well-balanced and efficient teams was satisfying.

Considering that shinobis spent a lot of their time with their teams as well as do things together it was natural that their bonds would go as deep as that of friends, lovers or families. Because of this, it was not uncommon news for shinobi's to risk their life to save their comrades.

It was also the reason why Sasuke had been captured.

He and his team had been on a three-month mission. And most of those months were spent fighting and having little rest so when they were just few kilometers away from the Fire Country border on their way home, they had been ambushed. Their low chakra could only allow them to fight pathetically. In the end, Sasuke had created a diversion plan with an absolute order of 'get the hell out from here' issued to his team.

That was it before the only thing his subordinates saw was tear-inducing black smoke as they weakly followed the order. The three, after covering few meters decided to hide behind thick bushes. In there, they lay down trying to catch their breaths.

They hated the fact that they left their captain but it had been an order and their staying with him while still in a weak condition didn't mean anything. They had a good guess that their leader had been captured, a more reason to quickly take care of their wounds and restore their chakra.

From the corner of his eyes, Ken noticed how pale Yanagi had become. His sudden movement as he hovered above the kunoichi's form alerted Hiko who sat up.

"Yanagi, what did you do?" Hiko asked in worry as he realized that she was closer to death.

The kunoichi smiled, "I performed a tracker jutsu on captain just so we'll know where he'd be taken." It had been a spur of a moment; a desperate attempt to make things easier for them when they'd save their captain but it seemed it won't happen anytime soon.

Ken wanted to hit Yanagi for her impulsiveness. The woman was never reckless and now she'd just had to be when the situation was spiraling out of their control. Like theirs, her chakra had been low and yet she performed a technique that required a good amount of chakra thus putting her life in danger. They were sure that some of her internal organs were now slowly malfunctioning.

"Do you realize that the technique only functions when the practitioner is alive?" Ken snarled at the almost unconscious form of his dear friend.

"I know that's why I'm trying to apologize here, asshole," she responded with as much annoyance as her situation could.

Hiko pressed a finger against her pale lips, "Don't talk. Save it for yourself." Yanagi smirked and closed her eyes when she heard the man continued, "Just stay with us. Stay with us, okay?"

"Of course. Captain still owes me few rounds…"

Ken and Hiko looked at each other before the latter nodded.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto let out an irritated sigh as the pencil he was using in correcting a particular report broke into two. He tossed them into the trash bin and before he could pull out a new one, he noticed a bird had just landed the window. He swirled his chair, opened the window and let the winged animal in.

He gave it few bread crumbs as he took the rolled paper slip from of its feet. The paper was empty but Naruto knew better. He performed one hand seal and feed the paper with the right amount of chakra to display the message. He felt his heart picking up speed as the text started appearing. He took a deep breath before he let his eyes land on the text written in a code.

_1010-0723_

_Growth had stopped due to pests attacking. Pesticide wasn't enough as the supply was low. Twigs got separated from branch which was taken to the pest's lair._

_3:1 R:r C4:c3_

His mind registered everything at the same time decoding it.

1010-0723 meant that the letter came from Sasuke's team. At this, his hands started trembling.

_Mission was interrupted as we had been attacked. Our chakra wasn't enough to win the fight. We are separated from our captain who had been captured by the enemies._

The **3:1** was the team ratio meaning one of cell member –Sasuke was separated from them. **R:r** was the chakra condition and the format followed according to the team ratio. The **R** and **r** meant the same thing - chakra condition had been critical except that **r **meant the condition was taken from the last time they had seen their captain. C4 and c3 meant their health condition. It meant that Sasuke's subordinates had more wounds compared to Sasuke. Again the **c** meant that the condition was taken before their captain was taken to captivity.

Naruto sucked in a deep breath. In a steady voice that belied the raging storm within him, he called two chuunins.

"I want you to tell Sakura to assemble her medic team and report here within one minute," he told one of them. "I want you to look for Kakashi and have him here within a minute also."

In 39 seconds flat, Sakura, her medic team and Kakashi 'poof' in front of a very tensed Naruto.

Sakura arched an eyebrow when she noticed that the blonde was wearing his ANBU uniform minus the mask, his hokage robe draping over his chair and his hat on the table.

"An ANBU team needs a medical attention," he said tartly, "and the captain has been captured."

With that, Sakura and Kakashi understood why Naruto was in those clothes. They also knew it was pointless to tell and convince the blonde to send a team to save the captain instead of going himself.

Kakashi caught the small paper slip thrown at him. "At the border of the Fire country, I want your dogs to track the smell of that sheet," he heard their leader say before the latter addressed all of them, "Let's get to the border as fast as we can."

They all nodded and moved like in a blur.

_I would be nothing with you gone, bastard, so hold on. I'll find and save you. I'll bring you back to your home._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The sound of water dripping… It came back to him again. He would have been unconsciousness once more if not for the ice-cold water that was splashed on him the next second. He opened his eyes and saw five men surrounding him.

His shoulders ached and realized why. His hands were being held up by a chain deeply lodge into a damped stone wall. The almost loud sounds of the water cascading told him that he was in a cavern hidden by a waterfall which explained the coldness of the air and the dripping sounds.

The three fire torches – its fire maintained by chakra, chased the darkness of the place and displayed what Sasuke hated the most – torture materials.

Being a shinobi, the prospect of being tortured was always there that was why, every year Konoha made it a point to have their shinobis underwent torture simulation. But Sasuke knew the reality was so different from simulation.

He swallowed back the pain when one man whipped his back to get rid of his upper clothes. He knew it had begun and he intended to keep all information within him as well as his dignity.

One question after another was being asked and for each moment he remained silent and defiant his back was being whipped until he felt like it was burning.

Annoyed at his silence and defiance, the man made a nod and the ordinary whip was replaced with something that had thorn attached to them. This time Sasuke couldn't stop the sound of pain coming from the back of his throat. Although it hadn't yet been five minutes, to him it felt like few hours had passed. For every hit he received, he saw a white flash at the corner of his eyes.

When he was close to fainting, another man would splash him ice-cold water that snapped him back to reality where endless pain hounded him.

Another few minutes passed and he was already shouting in pain. Especially when one man plucked one of his nails. A string of colorful words had flown from his mouth. He would collapsed out of pain if not for that ice-cold water again.

But despite the pain, he couldn't help but smirk when he noticed that the inquirer's tone had now been laced with frustration and annoyance because of silence. Sasuke knew that once they would get hold of the information they wanted, he'd be killed so he preferred to be disposed with him carrying the information to his grave.

He arched his back and screamed when the man who had been whipping him sprinkled salt on his already beaten-up back. It was pain beyond imagination and very different from the whip because the former after few seconds of contact would leave his body while the salt would remain until it would melt and be dissolved by his blood and sweat.

And he thought that things wouldn't get as painful as that until another man pressed the torched against his skin. His eyes rolled back to his head and his nerves went numb. His whole central nervous system shut down and Sasuke managed to distance his awareness from his body.

As his body continued being tortured in ways those men could think of, Sasuke watched like a calm, apathetic observer. He watched almost in trance as blood covered the ground beneath the pale body. He would have continued watching calmly until their statements echoed throughout his entire being.

The man was supposed to pluck another nail – his third when he noticed the wedding ring on the pale left hand.

"So you're married, eh?" he stated. "Think what would happen if we'd grab hold of your family?"

"We could sell your children to slavery," another one said.

"Or we could just kill them after violating them," another interjected.

"And your wife…" the man chuckled. "A handsome man like you would have a very beautiful wife." A lewd grin appeared on his sadistic face, "I'm sure you wouldn't mind if we help ourselves."

"She'd probably taste delicious and she'd be tight. She'd cry as we violated her upper and lower mouths over and over again until she'd no longer be tight. If you're lucky, we'll let you watch as we gang rape her. It would be a good show. After that, we'll let our followers have her."

They all chuckled.

"Think about it… Your wife-"

The man never finished his sentence as Sasuke chidori-ed him. The four looked surprised. When did their prisoner managed to lodge the chain from wall? When did he break the chain? Where did his chakra come from when he had been weak?

Fear raced through their spine when they heard a malicious laughter rumbling from the pale ninja's chest. And when Sasuke looked at them, his sharingan was spinning wildly and his eyes held no recognition or any emotions. Worse, his chakra was different. It was almost purplish black and was crackling with ominous strength. Even his aura was maleficent. How did this human become a demon?

_Do you have a precious person to protect?_

The remaining men screamed as Sasuke ripped their comrade's throat easily as if it was just a piece of paper. They ran out from the cave, alerting their comrades to fight.

To Sasuke, everything was just a blur or snakes, fires and different ninjutsu he had mastered. Once in a while, he'd hear a maniacal laughter rising out from the screams of terror and it didn't register to him that it was him who was laughing his heart away as he killed one man after another. Nothing matters except that he needed to protect his precious persons; that he had to kill anyone who was a threat to his bonds.

And on that area, it was raining with blood and guts. And the current of the waterfall wasn't enough to wash down the blood or the guts that beautifully colored the river instantly.

When it was over, Sasuke slumped against a rock and stared at the blue sky. His vision was getting blurry and yet he continued staring at the sun, wishing it was his wife's face he was staring at.

"Naruto… I…"

He never managed to say goodbye as he slipped into the arms of oblivion.

**-SasuNaru is love­-**

It wasn't long for Kakashi's dogs to find the rest of Sasuke's team. They were immediately attended by Sakura and her team.

"Kakashi, stay with them," Naruto said as he continued moving forwards.

Kakashi looked at Pakkun, "Help him look for his other half."

The loyal dog nodded and started chasing after the blonde. The dog couldn't help but snort at a thought came that they were somehow reliving what happened when the boys were still a mere genin.

Naruto froze when his surrounding fell silent. No, it wasn't his surrounding. It was his heart. It had grown eerily silent as if already mourning and he clenched his fists to stop himself from thinking that Sasuke was already gone. What right did his husband have to leave like that?

"SASUKE" he shouted at the top of his lungs just like he did long way back when they were still genins. He listened for any sounds. He even expected to hear the evil chuckles that came from Sasuke when he was single-mindedly continuing his journey towards Orochimaru while ignoring his friend that had been chasing him. But there was none. There was nothing.

_Don't you dare… Don't you even dare… bastard!_

Naruto continued moving forward. His tearful eyes failed to see a branch causing him to trip. In his desperation, frustration and annoyance, he destroyed the tree limb before continuing.

The strong copper scent of blood that flooded his nose led him to the enemy's lair. And nothing had prepared him for the grotesque scene that welcomed him.

His left hand shot out to cover his mouth when bile rose up inside him. Even Pakkun went pale and looked sick as he regarded the view.

He saw Sasuke's body and before he could move, he felt presence. Blue eyes scanned the vicinity and saw figures moving away from bushes and trees and advancing towards his spouse's body like vultures. In a way, these men were vultures because they always seize the spoils of battles and to them a ninja's corpse was always the best. They could sell it to the black market for big amount of money or to any hidden villages that wanted to learn the secrets from the village the ninja was working for. And Naruto knew that Sasuke with his sharingan would give them a lot of money.

Pakkun put a distance between him and Naruto when he felt red chakra flaring from that lithe body. Not long after, the blonde had confronted the man closest to Sasuke's body. "Don't you dare touch him," he snarled belatedly as he had already chopped the man's head off with his sword. He didn't cringes as the man's blood gushed out and sprinkled on him. But he was addressing all the vultures at the same time implicitly ordering them to leave.

In his anger, Naruto had become unreasonable and when he turned around and saw the scavengers were still standing he growled. To him, five minutes had passed after he had told them not to touch Sasuke. Without warning, he attacked them heatedly, decapitating them quickly and cold-heartedly.

When it was over, he dropped his sword and kneeled beside Sasuke who was now lying on his stomach. Naruto gingerly rolled him over and a cry involuntarily came out from his lips as he noticed how hideously burned Sasuke's chest was. His hands trembled as he hovered above the said chest, totally lost on what to do. He let his hands roamed his blood-covered arms before he placed his head on his thighs.

"Sasuke?" he called out softly. He could have check Sasuke's pulse but he was afraid to find out so he just cried. His tears fell on his love's face and he used it as a make-shift water to clean his husband's handsome face from the gore, dirt and blood.

_Why do we have to end like this?_

"You can't just leave me, you idiot," he murmured. '"I'm too young to be a widower, bastard." He gently shook Sasuke. "I'm not going to cry for you," he warned although he was already crying, "because I don't know how to so wake up and start teaching me, asshole!"

And he thought the world was back again when he felt a hand against his cheek, awkwardly cradling his face.

"Save your tears during my funeral, usuratonkachi," Sasuke said weakly and painfully. His throat burned. Everything burned. But it was okay. It was going to be okay because Naruto was there with him. He could say good-bye. There would be no regrets.

"You're here," Naruto said and he wanted to embrace the other man but stopped himself because of the man's wounds.

"Of course, where else would I be? I'm not going to leave you."

"Then open your eyes," Naruto said.

Sasuke just grunted.

"Open your eyes," the blonde insisted while gently shaking his spouse.

There was so much worry and fear in that longed voice- the same voice that called out to him when he was in the edge of that cliff that he forced his eyes open even when his eyelids were heavy as lead.

Fresh tears filled blue eyes as Naruto saw how empty those obsidian orbs had become. Sasuke was going to die. He was going to die without him. He'd leave him.

_The feeling of emptiness and loneliness… I don't want to feel them anymore. _

"… sun doesn't shed tears," Sasuke said as he felt teardrops falling on his face.

"Because it always has the moon until now," Naruto answered as he leaned into his gentle touch.

_What kind of life would I have in the future without you? What love would there be?_

Sasuke coughed. "The moon isn't going anywhere because that is one of the universal rules." And yet he knew he was slipping away. He never wanted to die but if it was the price of protecting the love he found with Naruto then he didn't mind at all. Dying for Naruto was worth it. He had existed to protect the blonde.　He had loved him with all his heart and being. There were no regrets.

"Naruto..." he took a deep shuddering breath. His chest felt heavy and it was constricting painfully and he knew it wasn't from the injuries he had. "I-"

Naruto kissed him right there and then because he knew what words would flow from those lips. He didn't want to hear it. "I love you, Sasuke," he murmured as if those words could keep death at bay… as if it could erase the fact that his beloved wanted to bid him goodbye.

For a second, the ANBU captain had been irritated for being interrupted but when he heard those words his heart felt light. It was a nice send off that it didn't matter if he couldn't say goodbye.

Naruto watched in horror as Sasuke closed his eyes and his hand that had been touching the tanned cheek limply fell to the ground.

_What lies beyond your death for me?_

"Sasuke " Naruto cried out his anguish to the heavens. The trees rustled and ripples appeared on the river as he started weeping, his chakra leaking out.

"Naruto?" a worried Sakura said as she joined them. There was so much in Naruto's silence that it scared Sakura.

"My God!" she couldn't help but exclaimed as she saw Sasuke. She felt for his pulse. She released a breath she didn't she was holding when she felt it. It was faint and slow but still there.

"Naruto, he's still alive."

That had stopped the man in his grief. His eyes held so much relief that it reminded the kunoichi with their battle against Zabuza and Haku.

She looked at the ANBU captain once more and concluded she couldn't heal him in one sitting. She couldn't even start healing him.

"We need to get him to Konoha as quickly as possible," she started explaining the situation. "To avoid infection we have to bandage his wounds but I only have an ordinary bandage which isn't good with his burns."

The blonde understood what Sakura was trying to tell him. His friend needed her chakra to quickly move towards Konoha so whatever she was planning her chakra was inadequate. She needed his chakra.

"Use mine."

_I'll give up anything just to save you. I'll kill all men and even destroy the universe if it meant saving you._

Sakura took Naruto's hands in her left one while she hovered her other over Sasuke's chest. At Sakura's instruction, the blonde channeled his chakra to his hands. Sakura's right glowed green as she started encasing Sasuke's body with the blonde's chakra.

Because he had so much chakra, Naruto had learned to calculate how much he needed for the day and restrained the rest. But when his allotted chakra was being drained almost completely he started letting the restraints go but made sure that he won't tap Kyuubi's power because he knew that Sakura couldn't handle the demon's chakra.

Sakura, knowing how huge the blonde's chakra reserve, took that advantage to thicken the chakra around the ANBU captain. It will not only cover his wounds but stabilize his condition as well.

It had been the longest five minutes of their lives so when it was over they let out a deep breath before moving once more.

"I already sent the others ahead of us," Sakura informed as she helped steady Sasuke on Naruto's back. The blonde felt a comfortable heat as his skin came in contact with his chakra. He nodded to the kunoichi and together they raced to catch up with the rest of the group.

_Hold on, Sasuke._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The sounds of her hurried footsteps on linoleum floor, her labored breathing and her loud heartbeat mingled together to create a strange music as Miki ran along the hallway. She took the second right turn then the third left turn before she skidded to a halt.

"Chichiue?" she called out to her blond father who was sitting forlornly on the bench across Operating Room Five. His body was hunched forward and his hands hanging limply from his legs.

Two identical pairs of eyes met. One was seeking and the other in despair.

"Miki," Naruto whispered hoarsely. As if that was a cue, the girl flung herself towards her father.

"How is otousan?" she asked brokenly. She had just finished a simple operation on a chuunin when one of her seniors told her about her otousan.

"Sakura and I haven't talked yet but I'm sure he'll be fine."

The lack of conviction in her parent's voice made her cry harder. She buried her face deeper against his hard chest disregarding that his shirt smelled of blood and sweat.

The only light in operation room five was the dull green light highlighting the double circles which were littered with text. Outside the circle were four medic-nins who were sitting on the floor forming a square. In the corner of the room were two more medic-nins who would watch the operation.

"Pressure and temperature within the circle stabilized," one of the monitors said.

"Energy stabilized," another one added. "Waiting for your signal, leader."

Sakura who could only lead because her current chakra level didn't allow her, nodded in acknowledgement. "Listen up!" she told the practitioners in her stringent voice. "Duty shift occurs when forty-five of your chakra is consumed. Please inform the monitors few minutes before that happens. Commence the operation."

She stayed few seconds longer to watch the proceedings. They had cut Sasuke's nails to replace the three ones he lost and also his hair to replace his burnt skin. His hair and nails must be melted to cellular level before they'd be able to use it. The interval between melting and implanting it must not be longer than five seconds as not to kill the cells. The melted hair would be distributed to different areas of his chest and back and the medic-nin would use the cell-regeneration to let the skin patches extend and close any gap. Although the whole operation sounded simple, it required a very good concentration and impressive chakra control. Satisfied with how the operation started, Sakura stepped into the hallway.

"Sasuke's condition is now stable and his operation is underway," she informed Naruto and Miki. "Why don't you guys go home and get some rest, hmm? At best, the operation would last for seven hours." And just to prevent them for protesting and insisting to stay, she promised, "I'll send someone to you the second the operation ends."

Naruto nodded tiredly and taking his daughter's hand, the two went home.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Akemi came home he found Miki staring at the family portraits with fear etched on her face.

"Hey!" he called out quietly. There was just something about the vibes she emanated that made him do it. He was alarmed when Miki looked at him like a scared and helpless girl rather than her usual confident self. "W-what's wrong?"

"Otousan's critically wounded. He probably won't-" Miki trailed off in a sob.

"W-what?" he asked just to make sure he heard it wrong. He took his sister's silence as a confirmation. He felt cold and he heard buzzing noises and the sounds of waves crashing. "B-but how? It can't be." Like a bolt of lightning he was reminded of something- a particular distant past he and his otousan shared.

_Akemi, do you love chichiue?_

_Yes, as much as I love otousan._

_Then will you protect him from anything even from himself?_

_Of course._

"Chichiue?"

"He's taking a bath."

That wasn't good. "For how long?"

The inquiry made in a strangled tone had stopped the girl from her sobbing. "Now that you mention it, it has been more than forty-five-"

Akemi fled to their parents' bedroom and burst into it just as a robe-clad Naruto stepped outside the bathroom. Akemi skidded to a halt so did Miki who almost bumped into him.

The boy blushed feeling guilty for thinking that his blond father had committed suicide yet at the same time relieved.

"Welcome home, Akemi."

"I- I'm home, chichiue." And both of them sent each other a strained smile.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Don't forget to bring the scroll tomorrow," Shigure shouted at the top of his lungs from the street corner.

Kisho just waved in acknowledgement before he pushed the wooden gates. All his happiness was blown the moment he stepped inside and noticed the heavy and tensed atmosphere hanging over the place. He frowned when he saw Naruto sleeping on the couch with the latter's face upturned. To him, his father looked twenty years older than his age. He walked to the kitchen where he found his two older siblings taking a light snack.

"What's going on?" he asked.

While Miki was telling the youngest Uchiha, Akemi stood up to prepare his brother's favorite chocolate drink.

Miki cried when she saw her blond brother crying. The latter cried harder when he saw the former crying. Akemi looked at then. How he just wanted to sit and cry with them but he knew better. Yuuzuki's absence meant he had to play Yuuzuki's role. He had to comfort them. Besides it had been a family rule that they mustn't go down together. Somebody had to be strong while the rest go weak.

"It's going to be alright," he said while hoping that his voice was as convincing and confident as he wanted it to be. "He'll be back because it's _him_."

_But you'll always be with chichiue, ne, otousan?_

_Of course._

_Then, there's no need for me to watch over him._

_But the future is always full of uncertainties and surprises._

_What do you mean?_

_It means we're late now and chichiue will probably scold us._

That night Kisho slept with Naruto while the other two children preferred their room.

After knocking softly on Akemi's door, Miki let herself in. She found her oniisan sitting on the window ledge. Both rolled and unrolled scrolls were carelessly left at his feet. Papers which should have been filled by notes at that moment were stark empty.

"Hey," she said.

The boy shifted his gaze outside to look at his sister's reflection on the window glass. He stiffened a bit when she embraced him from behind.

"I'll take it from here," she said softly.

"It's okay. I-"

Miki tightened her hold. Her brother had played the role so well earlier that he deserved to be given a good comforting. It was now his turn to cry and be weak.

Akemi's shoulders started to wrack with sobs. The next second, he turned around and clutched his sister as he cried.

Miki smiled affectionately. "Good boy," she murmured as she started rubbing his back in soothing comfort.

**TBC**

* * *

I know there's something I should tell you but right now, a lot of things are in my mind that I can't remember what it is.

It's too bad that Yuuzuki isn't with them to share their pains but he had nothing to worry because he trusts Akemi to play his role during his absence.


	58. 愛の色希望

**SasuNaru, yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read**

**Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama.**

**Guys, thanks for your reviews. And get ready yourself for one big SasuNaru scene.**

* * *

**Chapter 58: Love-colored hope **

Just as Sakura had promised, a medic-nin had been sent to the Uchiha mansion to inform the family of the success of Sasuke's operation. And upon hearing it, the Uchiha family had abandoned their breakfast and raced towards the hospital.

The result of the operation was impressive. Not only did they replace the burnt skin and the whiplash-damaged skin but they also closed the cuts and minor injuries Sasuke had. The texture of his was as smooth as before. There was no trace of operation performed or any scars. If it weren't for the fact that he was on a hospital bed with a dextrose attached to him, he would have look like as someone who was resting leisurely.

Sakura cleared her throat to get everybody's attention. "We healed everything. Everything but the non-physical wounds."

"Trauma," Miki murmured.

The older kunoichi nodded. "Right now, Sasuke waking up is almost next to impossible."

"What do you mean impossible?" a frowning Kisho asked.

"Not impossible. It's just that the possibility of him waking up is almost zero. Right now, his body is just an empty shell. If he wakes up, it is because he wants to."

"He'll wake up," Naruto said with as much hope as when he promised Sakura to bring Sasuke back after his defection. And his tone lightened up everybody's mood.

"Of course he would," Sakura agreed with a smile. If Naruto said so then Sasuke would because Naruto was Sasuke's half and the blonde understood his spouse more than anybody else, more than his spouse.

_Let our wishes reach you._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The news about Sasuke spread like wildfire around Konoha. Their friends gave them assurances and comfort something that made them act like themselves. But what they, especially Naruto, didn't like were the rumors about the hokage becoming a widower very soon. That rumor alone had caused villagers from left to right to give him sympathetic and pitying looks and he hated it with a passion. He preferred their hateful glares over those.

At least with the former, he found the strength to grope his way through despair and bleakness but with the latter, he found himself wanting to succumb.

_To fall in that abyss of darkness…_

Two days later, Naruto found a perfect way to keep everything at bay- the role of hokage. With that role, Sasuke was just another wounded subordinate who needed to be taken off from the active list for a long period. Sure he was worried but not the same worry and fear he felt every time he thought about his husband's condition and its dismal possibilities. Through the position, he felt light... unburdened. Wanting to keep it that way, he attacked his tasks vigorously and worked day and night.

Naruto looked up from his table when somebody 'poof'ed in front of him. A golden eyebrow arched in half-amusement when he saw Shikamaru wearing civilian clothes. It was a common knowledge that during the lazy but genius tactician's rest days he stayed away from any establishments that reminded him of work and as much as possible avoid any comrades. It was his way of unwinding. To find him in the hokage tower with his laziest look on gave the Rokudaime the impression that the former had made a mistake of his destination.

"You appeared in a wrong place, Shika."

The captain made a throaty noise before he tilted his head to the left but his eyes still remained on his blond friend. "Let's grab some food." He then reached forward and grabbed one tanned wrist so his invitation won't be refused.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Ramen.

Shikamaru never had that food under his favorite list. But when one was Naruto's friend, he must appreciate its taste or at least tolerate it enough to please the blonde which was the genius' case or in most of Naruto's friends' cases. He watched as his friend consumed his ramen slower than usual. But under the current situation it was normal although a bit disturbing. He frowned when he noticed something.

Finally noticing the lingering look from the other man, Naruto looked him with a silent inquiring gaze.

"Shikamaru?" he asked when the brunette continued watching instead of looking away. He gasped when hands cupped his face.

"Naruto..." he heard his friend say in a very calm and serious tone making him nervous.

"W-what?" His voice came as a squeak. If Shikamaru would do something stranger he'd definitely do something.

Shikamaru suddenly started pulling his face, eliciting painful sounds from him.

"What the hell?" he pouted while massaging his red skin.

"When was the last time you rested?" the brunette drawled in a worried and annoyed tone.

"I went to bed every night," the blonde answered in a defensive tone.

Shikamaru sighed before poking his already soggy ramen. "Going to bed and sleeping are different."

Naruto looked away. Why couldn't they understand that work kept him from thinking too much and from nightmare? So what if he no longer slept because he kept on working? At least, it kept him sane.

"I have a meeting with the council five minutes from now," Naruto informed with a fake smile. "I'll see you around and thanks for the ramen." With that, he quickly left Ichiraku.

Shikamaru sighed then scratch his head. "He's troublesome as always."

_Naruto, you..._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto parted the curtains to shed sunlight into Sasuke's hospital room. "With this kind of weather, shouldn't you be outside?" he asked in an irritated voice. He took a seat beside the bed and stared at his immobile husband.

"Stupid," he whispered after few minutes of silence. Within these four walls, he stopped being hokage and shed his tears of desperation. He wept alone just like in his childhood years.

He laid his head on Sasuke's chest to listen to his heartbeat while tanned fingers fleeted across pale skin. Sasuke's body wasn't warm or cold and Naruto didn't find comfort in that.

"Sasuke-bastard, I'm already tired of crying. Do you want me to cry myself to death?"

Silence.

"What are you waiting for?" he demanded. He grinned when an idea struck him. "You're so romantic," he teased before he pressed his lips against Sasuke's. His tongue darted out to wet dry and rough lips. Unconsciously, he held his breath expecting the mouth beneath his to open. A minute latter, he pulled back disappointed. "Bastard!" he rasped. "If you want

infinite kisses, then I'll give it to you."

Getting frustrated, he impulsively said, "I'll kick your ass." He scowled when his threat was registered on his brain. He grinned sheepishly. "I was kidding," he said thinking Sasuke won't wake up if he threatened him so he started bribing him with things that would make

Sasuke blush and arouse for all he was worth. When he could no longer think of anything to offer, he slumped against his chair in temporary defeat. Sighing, he stood up to leave. "We'll continue this session tomorrow, sleeping beauty." He gave both cheeks a soft kiss.

Hiko, Yanagi and Ken who were admitted in the hospital and were still sporting bandages met Naruto in the hallway. This was the first time they had met the hokage since the accident. They stared at each other while wondering what to say; while wondering what the other party would say.

Naruto was never one to remain silent for long so he smiled and said, "You guys look pretty good now. That's good."

"We're sorry for being useless," Yanagi said. Her other two teammates followed suit. It was reasonable if Naruto would blame them.

The blonde looked outside through the window. "One time, Sasuke had told me that there are things that aren't under our control." He shifted his gaze to his husband's subordinates, his blue eyes tinted with a sad smile. "This is one of them."

"Is the captain still...? It will be okay if we visit him now, right? " Hiko trailed off.

"Yeah. He'll wake up. I know it." _To lose hope is to lose you. That's why..._

"Yeah he will," Ken agreed.

Naruto patted their shoulders before saying, "get well soon, guys."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Welcome home," the Uchiha kids greeted their chichiue one after another.

Their father nodded as he took his seat on the table where takeout food was spread out.

"How was your day, guys?"

Kisho who was always excited to talk about his last weeks in school started narrating the day's events while Miki stood up to prepare a tea for their blond father.

Naruto murmured a 'thanks' when Miki placed his cup of green tea in front of him. He never noticed the look Miki and Akemi exchanged or when Kisho seemed to talk more excitedly. He just nodded and chuckled at Kazushi's blooper before drinking his tea. The next second, everything turned into a comforting black.

_Is this what it feels like to fall?_

Kisho quickly pulled out the plate in front of Naruto when his head fell forward.

"He's asleep now," the boy, looking at the older blonde's closed eyes.

Miki smiled, looking relieved. There was nothing to worry actually. The sleeping potion she slipped into his tea was fast-acting and odorless.

Akemi approached the older Uchiha and bend down to whisper, "Kyuubi, we want chichiue to sleep so don't wear out the potion faster than it should." He wasn't sure if the fox demon would hear but he just wanted to say it. And although he never received a reply it didn't matter.

Kisho brought the make-shift stretcher they had made while Akemi produced enough clones to carry their chichiue to his bedroom and tucked him to bed.

"Chichiue would probably get mad when he learns we spiked his drink," Miki said.

"I'll take responsibility," Akemi assured her then he smiled softly. "Now that we had chichiue asleep, who wants ice-cream cake?" He asked just to take off their minds from the problems.

Two arms shot out in the air.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

He had been walking in the dark as far as he could remember and yet strangely he didn't feel tired. He couldn't feel tired for some reason. He continued walking in the long tunnel. Something inside him told him that it was a tunnel and he never spared a time to argue with his inner voice. He was tired of arguing… tired of everything but walking, following the force that was tugging him forward.

His heart seemed to flutter as he saw light coming from what he thought to be the end of the tunnel. He ignored the bright colors dancing in his visions and rushed to the light.

The moment he stepped outside, the first thing that came to his mind was how green the grasses were; how crystal clear the lake was and how blue the sky was. There was a tug in his heart when he looked at the sky but he ignored it as voices and sounds reached his ears. He looked around and obsidian eyes widened to see his clan gathered together in what looked like a party. Everybody looked as old as when their candle of life was snuffed out. He smiled when his gaze landed on a yanagi tree near the lake. His parents were sitting under its shade together with Itachi who was as old as when he had died. Obviously, everything was good in the clan especially within his family. His mother was pouring sake into Fugaku's and Itachi's porcelain cups when his brother said something that made her laughed while their father chuckled. Their laughter was very nostalgic that it made his heart ached. Wanting to join them he moved forward and when he was just few steps from the blanket they were sitting, his mother looked up and saw him. Her eyes lightened up.

"Sasuke," Mikoto whispered achingly and the two men looked up and reacted differently. Itachi frowned while Fugaku scowled.

"What are you doing here?" his father demanded tersely.

Would he always be an outsider? An outcast? Couldn't his father treat him like a son? The pain in his chest lessened a notch when his mother smiled.

"Foolish little brother," Itachi muttered and reached out to poke him in the forehead like he always did when they were still young. "You don't belong here."

Sasuke frowned. "But aren't I an Uchiha too? Aren't I a part of this family?" he argued almost in a whining voice.

Mikoto kneeled and took his hands in between hers. "Sasuke," she started while looking into his eyes, "you'll always be a part of this family."

"Then why-" he was cut off with his mother shaking her head.

"But you have your own family now… More important than us. Wasn't that why you're here in the first place?"

"My own family?"

He looked so confused that his mother elaborated, "your darling wife, Naruto and your kids: the friendly and responsible Yuuzuki, the genius and talented Akemi, the beautiful and confident Miki and the mischievous and daring Kisho."

Sasuke shook his head. He couldn't remember them although their names were too familiar like an old nostalgic song playing on the back of his mind.

"Listen carefully," his mother instructed as she placed a hand on his chest.

Sasuke could hear the clamoring of his heart and this time it wasn't because he wanted to join the party and be reunited with his clan. His heart was ordering him to go back… to go back to where? And then he felt his cheeks getting wet. He looked up at the clear sky and touched his eyes. It wasn't rain and it weren't his tears.

"Sasuke-bastard, how long are you going to stay there? You're wasting _our_ time together. You're missing a lot of things. Kisho's graduation is almost three months from now," he heard a voice said. It was a voice tinged with sadness and miserable hope. It was a voice… a voice he longed for. A voice that came with mesmerizing blue eyes and golden hair.

_Naruto…_

And then Sasuke finally remembered why he was there; why he had accepted death. He shook his head. "I can't stay here. I'm needed somewhere else."

Mikoto smiled and Itachi nodded.

"Then go before your blonde would do something drastic and I don't want my niece and nephews to grieve," his brother said in his haughty voice. Sasuke nodded.

He looked at his father then was reminded that there was nothing to expect from the former Uchiha clan leader. He was about to turn away when his father's hesitant voice stopped him.

He glanced at him and found his father struggling with words before he said almost stiffly, "You're a great father. You are bringing them up despite everything that happened. I'm proud of you." And Fuugaku was smiling a smile that was different from the one he graced Sasuke when he had learned one fire jutsu. It was a sincere smile of a truly proud father.

Sasuke smiled back and then everything blurred to darkness. He felt like he was falling and rising at the same time. Different forces tugging him to different sides before he felt like gently floating to the surface of the sea. When he opened his eyes, he saw white ceiling instead of blue eyes.

"Uwa otousan is awake," Miki squealed in delight as she noticed his opened eyes although he looked disoriented. Both her brothers rushed to his bedside.

"Otousan! You're back," Kisho said. Akemi helped their father propped himself against the pillows while Miki offered him a glass of water.

Obsidian eyes glanced around them.

"Where's chichiue and Yuuzuki?" he rasped when he found that two of his precious persons were missing.

"Niisan went to a two-year mission, remember?" Kisho said. "And SOP dictates that no letters except reports would be sent. But he's ok, at least that's what chichiue said every time he receives a report."

Sasuke nodded. "And chichiue?"

"Well, that's..." A sheepish Miki looked at his older brother.

"Chichiue hadn't been sleeping for nine days straight so we decided to put him in a sleep by spiking his tea with Miki's sleeping potion. He's been sleeping for three days. He'll wake up anytime soon."

Sasuke 'hn'ed. It was good that he had their children to look after his dobe.

"How do you feel otousan?" Miki asked.

"Sore and weak," he replied.

"That's because you had been sleeping for twelve days," Kisho stated.

"I have to inform Sakura-senpai that you're awake." With that Miki left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sakura smiled when she finally saw a very conscious Sasuke. "I'm glad you're back," she said, unable to maintain her professional voice.

"Sasuke, I know you've just woken up but it's imperative that we'll run a series of exams on you. First will be a thorough physical exam." Just then a nurse came in carrying a wheelchair. "I'll explain more before each phase."

Sasuke looked at the pink-haired medic-nin. "How long will it last?"

"The physical exam will last for two days while the psycho and mental for three days. That is, if things work out well."

The Uchiha leader frowned. He didn't want to stay longer in the hospital.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Eyelids fluttered open to reveal blue eyes. Naruto whipped his head to his table calendar then bolted in a sitting position. Why did he fall asleep? In fact he had been sleeping for consecutive four days.

_Sasuke._

He leapt out from the bed and went to the hallway.

Kisho was on his way to the genkan when he saw his father. "You're awake, chichiue," he said. He hoped his father won't scold him for what they did. It would be unfair without his partners-in-crime. Then he remembered something - his sanctuary and he smiled.

"Yesterday, Otousan regained his consciousness and-" the boy trailed off when he found his chichiue gone.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke grumbled incoherently as he slumped into his bed. He was tired from the series of exam he was made to undergo. The head nurse had noticed his dark mood that he postponed the rest of exam to tomorrow. He stared at the ceiling wondering when his Naruto would visit him.

Somewhere in the hallway, everybody scurried out of the way at the blond object moving in a blur. Sakura knew who it was and smiled. With Naruto's visit, Sasuke's mood would certainly improve. With them reunited, everything would go back to the way it was.

Naruto took a deep breath and prayed that he wasn't in a dream before he slipped inside.

Sasuke was drifting off to sleep when he had felt a very familiar chakra behind the door. A ghostly smile appeared on his lips and he focused his gaze on the door as it slid open.

Naruto closed the door first then whirled around to find obsidian eyes looking at him with so much intensity that breathing was impossible. He leaned on the door heavily accidentally locking it.

"I've been waiting for you, dobe," he heard Sasuke say softly like a caress.

He could have replied with 'You made me worry, you bastard!' or 'Why do you have to be so heroic?' or 'What took you so long?' in a voiced mixed with irritation, impatience, frustration and a dash of happiness but all he could get past through his constricting throat was, "Me too. Far longer than you did." And he was stumbling towards the epitome of his dreams and nightmares; of his hope and desperation; of his existence and death.

A pale hand gripped his torso and pulled him over the bed.

"I missed you so much," Sasuke heard his spouse confessed before the former sealed their lips together.

He let the blonde ravished his mouth as he savored the feel of the latter's tongue moving possessively and its taste. He moaned and shivered as his tongue being sucked. He wanted that same skill to be applied on the area he ached the most. He thanked the gods that both of them were dressed in very convenient clothes as his hands started getting rid of Naruto's kimono while brushing against exposed skin. The blonde mirrored his actions as they continued their passionate liplock.

Their groans as their naked chest came in contact against each other's were lost in their wild and arousing kiss. It was too much yet not enough. More… more of him. More of each other.

When they pulled away breathless and flushed, a string of saliva connected their abused lips. Naruto dipped his head once more but this time to lick the saliva that had trickled from the side of his husband's mouth.

They stared at each other once more, trying to convey what words and actions couldn't.

Naruto broke their silence. "Sasuke, I'm so-"

The other man placed his right hand against a tanned cheek. "I don't ne-"

"Please just let me say it," the blonde begged as he leaned into his touch. "Because I know what you went through was beyond words. I'm sorry I wasn't there; that I was too late to save you from the pain."

Sasuke's thumb wiped away the tears threatening to fall from blue eyes. "It was painful and worse than the simulation I underwent annually but at some point I became numb the moment I became a mere apathetic observer."

Naruto looked confused. Did that mean it wasn't the dark-haired man that massacred the whole group made up of bandits and missing-nins? But the work screamed his name.

"But then they threatened to sell our children to slavery and although they aren't ordinary kids something inside me snapped especially when those assholes said that they'll gang rape you..."

"Sasuke..."

_Deeper… harder…_

"The next thing I know a different chakra hummed through my body. It was very powerful. It was addicting and scary. I was unstoppable and invincible."

"For that... for protecting us... you-"

_I found myself…_

"Our children are our treasure and I existed to die for you." And before Naruto could say something, he flipped them over so he would be on top. "Don't say anything. I just want to feel you," he confessed in a very low voice. Naruto was all he needed and he was here with him. It was enough.

Sasuke hungrily roved his mouth and almost carelessly grazed his teeth on tanned neck and shoulders. He left a trail of teeth marks and hickeys as he moved downward. His left hand gently brushed Naruto's side while his other hand snaked into the blonde's boxers and grabbed hold of his hardening cock.

Naruto gasped at the sudden onslaught of pleasure. His arms automatically wrapped around Sasuke's shoulders but instead of pulling the dark-haired man close, he pushed him to lie on his back.

He knew that with Sasuke still recuperating and under observation, the latter shouldn't do any strenuous activities. He knew that, yet he couldn't stop the desire flowing back and forth between them, pulling them towards each other in a force more powerful than the one existing between two opposite poles. He wanted Sasuke as badly as the latter wanted him. He wanted the two of them to melt and evaporate once more. He wanted their desires for each other to blend into a very powerful force that would leave them breathless, weak and hungry.

Sasuke tilted his head to the side, offering more of his skin to that possessive mouth. His fingers wound themselves around golden locks as Naruto sucked the erogenous zone of his neck.

Pink tongue darted out to traced his collarbone before moving down to lap on pink buds one at a time until they were proudly erect. Then the flexible muscle erotically moved lower leaving a hot and wet trail.

Sasuke's cock twitched some more when that wicked tongue circled around his navel before plundering. Everything within and without him was getting hotter until he felt like he was burning… no he was burning and it won't be long when he would become ashes in Naruto's hands.

It never occurred to him that the tight grip he had on Naruto's hair was pulling a lot of strands. He even pulled more when Naruto started massaging his balls and touching him. When his wife traced his slit with the tip of his tongue, he thought it was pleasure until that wonderful and hot muscle pressed against his perineum. What remained of his thinking capability immediately disappeared. His mind was just one empty white orb.

He whispered his wife's name breathlessly. Wanting more of that mind-stopping pleasure, he pressed his loins closer to Naruto's hand and perched his right foot on a tanned shoulder. His moans were mingled with his soft gasps as the blonde gave more but it wasn't enough. Sasuke wanted more of the hand pumping him; more of the tongue that was driving him wild with pleasure... more of Naruto. With sheer will, he propped himself on his elbows. He gripped Naruto's shoulders hard enough to get his attention. Lustful blue eyes stared at him in silent inquiry.

"I want you," he said huskily. "Turn around."

And Naruto, who was too mesmerized with those inky eyes, obeyed his request wordlessly.

"Raise your hips a bit." Sasuke dropped a kiss on each butt cheeks before he parted them. He licked his lips before he started teasing the blonde's opening with his tongue.

Naruto thought he was going to explode when Sasuke also started touching his perineum. His spouse was torturing him with the same pleasure that he had used on him. That bastard!

Instantly, their foreplay turned into a brief contest of who could make the other moan longer and louder. And Naruto knew this wasn't a dream because his spouse was too warm, too responsive and needy to be a dream.

"God, Sasuke," Naruto breathed against his husband's rock-hard erection. "I can't take it anymore. I need you... inside me."

The dark-haired man gave one last lick before he said, "you're all lubed up pretty well. Can you do it by yourself?"

In reply, Naruto repositioned himself to straddle the body beneath his.

Sasuke bit his lips as his dobe held him. Both of them moaned as they slowly became one. He kept his eyes open to stare at the man above him who had his eyes closed and his head thrown back. How utterly erotic.

He continued watching as Naruto started riding him. He wrapped his hand around the blonde's weeping cock and thumbed the slit. He never took his gaze from the tanned face where the different facets of pleasure and desire were painfully displayed in full detail. He wanted to see them all; to remember them vividly.

Naruto rode Sasuke with desperation as he wanted to reach the peak of their glory. His rhythm became more erratic reflecting his feeling. He felt something was lacking and it took him awhile to realize that Sasuke wasn't moving with him. He peeked at his spouse through half-lidded eyes and was saddened to see an unreadable expression on his face.

He leaned against pale chest. Why wasn't Sasuke doing anything? Wasn't he enjoying it? Could it be that he didn't want it? But he was the one who initiated it. His heart skipped a beat when he thought that Sasuke did it because he- Naruto needed it.

"Is moving on your own difficult now?" Sasuke asked, his arms surrounding him protective. He felt Naruto moved his head in an affirmative reply.

"But more importantly," the blonde then gazed at those dark eyes. "Aren't you enjoying this?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you feel good?" He ground his hips against the dark-haired man's. "I want Sasuke to feel as good as I do." He tilted his head, flicking his tongue against Sasuke's lips, moistening them. As if that wasn't enough, he clenched his muscles around the intruding but welcome cock buried deep inside him.

"Sas-ack!" was all the blonde could say as Sasuke roughly pushed him on the bed. Predatory look graced his face as he dangerously stared down at his most precious person.

"I won't hold back, dobe," he said lustfully. Besides, he had held back far longer than he wanted to.

"Just as I wanted," the dobe quipped. "Now do it."

Sasuke didn't reply. He pulled out, changed his angle then plunged into the blonde almost ruthlessly but the latter didn't mind. He even encouraged it with his aphrodisiac-like moans. He pushed his wife's thighs against his chest, tanned legs hovering over pale shoulders as he became more needy and demanding.

"Na...to... I'm glad we're re...u-united a-agai-ngh."

"M-me too, bas... thaard. I-ngh…"

Deeper, they drowned each other. Longer, they stretched their time to be together. Higher, they hurled themselves until they were airborne and flying towards their special place... towards the shrine of their union.

"Welcome home, Sasuke," Naruto whispered before everything burst into tinkling and golden dusts of light before they faded into white and silence.

A minute later, Naruto moved away. Obsidian eyes watched as he stood on wobbly legs while he massaged his sore back.

Black orbs shifted their position as he stared at the sticky white fluid trickling down the man's inner thighs. He reached out and in a caress, massaged the tanned skin, coating his fingers. Those same fingers slipped into Naruto whose mouth turned into a perfect O.

Looking at the eyes of his husband, Naruto knew one round wasn't enough but it was high time that they pay attention to Sasuke's condition rather than their desire. Regretfully, he pulled the pale hand and shook his head.

"Naruto..."

Damn! That beckoning sexy voice again. As much as he wanted to give in, he remained firm. He shook his head. Because Sasuke looked so disappointed, Naruto licked his hand clean. Such action made the dark-haired man grab and claimed his lips.

A tanned hand immediately gripped a pale hand that was slithering lower on his back.

Naruto trailed light kisses on his spouse's jaw. In between light nibbles on his delectable ear shell he whispered, "When you're completely healed, we can do it anytime and as many times as you want." He pulled away and smiled, "it's a promise." Saying that, he left to clean himself then on Sasuke who was wishing he had Kyuubi to heal him instantly.

When they were clean, dressed and the room showed no sign of their previous activity, Naruto laid down with Sasuke. Even though the size of the hospital bed was good enough for one patient, both of them thought it was too big for them.

One of Sasuke's legs was between Naruto's, his right arm was draped around the blonde's waist while his other arm was pillowing the blond head. Naruto, on the other hand, had one of his legs between Sasuke's, his left arm loosely wrapped around the other's shoulders and his right hand resting against his love's beating heart.

"I'm glad you're here with me now," his spouse said in a low voice. "I thought you were really going to die because you tried to say goodbye."

"I really thought I would," Sasuke replied in the same hushed tone. "Because everything was blurry. I ached and started feeling cold. And when you told me you love me... it was a nice send off."

The blonde none-too-gently spanked his chest. "It wasn't a send off, bastard. It was to make you stay. Why send you off when I could follow you?"

_**When you die, Sasuke, I'll be there to die with you.**_

Sasuke mirrored his wife's soft smile. He then told the blonde about his encounter with his clan and his talk with his family even though he had no idea if it was just a dream or not.

Naruto mentally noted to place special food and drinks on the family shrine when he would return home. "Thank you for coming home."

The Uchiha leader pressed their foreheads together. "I know what it was like to be left behind so as long as I can, I won't leave you or our children."

A moment later, Naruto chuckled. When Sasuke stared at him curiously, he explained, "I didn't think it was possible anymore but I have fallen in love with you deeper."

"Dobe," he muttered, rolling his eyes while sporting a light blush.

Unbeknownst to them, Akemi was outside, his hand on the doorknob. The boy wasn't eavesdropping, he had planned to visit his otousan when he noticed that the door was lock. He had been disturbed and worried until he heard his parents talking in hushed voices laced with affection. He withdrew his hand and retraced his steps. On his way towards the stairs he met his otousan's team who had been released four days ago and was now getting back in shape.

"Guys," he called out.

"Akemi-kun," Hiko said while the other two nodded their heads in acknowledgement.

"Can you visit otousan later? He's quite busy right now."

"It's a pity but very well," Yanagi conceded.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Pastel colors of purple, pink and orange stained the blue sky as the sun cast its last rays for the day and the normal silence in the hospital was broken with a piercing scream coming from Sasuke's room. The two hokage ANBU guards who were stationed at the hallway and the one who was posted outside burst into the room. They looked a bit lost when they found their hokage kneeling on the bed cradling an almost purple Sasuke who was having seizures, blood trickling on the side of his lips and his eyes were open, empty and bloodshot.

_Why won't death leave us especially you alone? Why must I always be the one who should be in this situation of losing someone?_

**TBC

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**

While I was typing this story in my cellphone on my way to work, I just realized something: **AkeMiKisho.** Yep, the last syllable of their name is the first syllable of the other's. Reminds me of Killua's family also. LOL. This is just pure coincidence. Too bad Yuuzuki isn't included. If I planned this, I would have named him with something that ends with A. And why am I so cheerful when all of you are scared of what is happening with Sasuke? Sorry. Talk about being insensitive.


	59. 帰り時

**By now, everybody knows the drill... -smiles-**

**To Lazeee an demented: Thanks for pointing out the error.**

**And woah there are a lot of unsigned reviewers than usual and I wish all of you left your email address so I can thank you privately. Guys, thank you for the reviews. It made my being stranded in Chiba two days ago less vexing.**

**

* * *

**

Pastel colors of purple, pink and orange stained the blue sky as the sun cast its last rays for the day and the normal silence in the hospital was broken with a piercing scream coming from Sasuke's room. The two hokage ANBU guards who were stationed at the hallway and the one who was posted outside burst into the room. They looked a bit lost when they found their hokage kneeling on the bed cradling an almost purple Sasuke who was having seizures, blood trickling on the side of his lips and his eyes were open, empty and bloodshot.

_Why won't death leave us especially you alone? Why must I always be the one who should be in this situation of losing someone? _

**Chapter 59: When he returns **

One guard managed to snap out and run to fetch a nurse. Luckily, Hinata and Sakura were already on their way to Sasuke's room the moment they heard the ear-splitting scream.

Without warning, Sakura pulled Naruto off the bed while Hinata ran her byakugan on Sasuke and quickly closed a lot of the man's chakra points.

Sakura painfully gripped her friend's shoulders to grab his attention. "Naruto, calm down," she said.

"I am," he replied. But his trembling form and darting eyes said other eyes. He was hysterical but it was reasonable because he had just left the bed to pee and when he returned he found Sasuke like that.

The pink-haired medic-nin slapped both of his cheeks. "Naruto, look at me," she ordered.

The blonde did.

"We'll take him to the examination room and see what is wrong with him," she said just as three medic-nins transferred his spouse to a wheeled bed. Sakura wanted to assure Naruto that he won't lose his husband but she refrained to do so. As a friend and Sasuke's doctor she didn't want to give her blond friend an empty promise. But she swore to herself that she'd do anything to keep her two closest male friends happy. She squeezed his shoulder, nodded to the guards and followed her colleagues.

"Naruto-sama?"

The blonde took a deep breath before saying, "please bring my kids here."

One ANBU guard nodded and left. The other remained to watch the rokudaime just in case while the last of the three left to get the blonde his coffee or anything to calm him down.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Tell Akemi and the others to wait on the lobby. I'll tell them what happened after my talk with Sakura," Naruto told his two remaining guards the moment he regained his composure. Luckily the blond caught Sakura in the hallway just out examination room three.

"Sakura, how is he?"

"Hinata and her team is examining him right now His condition is stable."

At this, Naruto was slightly relieved. Dropping his voice to a whisper and making sure no one was around the hallway except the two of them, he confessed a bit bashfully with his head downcast. "Few hours ago...I... Sasuke and I did it pretty roughly..."

A blush tinted Sakura's cheeks but she had known it when she grabbed Naruto and saw the marks littering his neck. And by now, Hinata's team had also come to that conclusion.

"I know we shouldn't but its impossible to stop. I-I was thinking that because of that he became like that."

"Although..." her blushed darkened. They were like teenagers who knew nothing of sex and thought of it and anything related to it as scandalous. "Although that is strenuous, I can assure you its not the cause."

"Really?"

Sakura nodded positively. "C'mon, let's wait for Hinata at the meeting room."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Hinata smiled a bit as she entered the room where Sasuke's family and Sakura waited.

"Sasuke is now being transferred to ICU although he's stable," she informed them as she took a seat.

"Then why the ICU?" Miki immediately asked.

"Ask later, Miki," Akemi told her softly so the Hyuuga mistress could explain their father's condition.

"Sasuke's chakra was leaking out causing an upset within him," she started. "His tentative result in the exam should have given us a clue with his damaged chakra pathways but it didn't. My explanation of this was that his chakra hadn't reached the capacity to leak until awhile ago."

It wasn't uncommon that some ninjas out of desperation would use their last ounce of chakra causing external and internal damage. Sakura knew that too well so she asked, "Then the damage was due to his forcefully extracting his already critically low chakra to perform jutsus during his battle?" She had witnessed the grotesque scene Sasuke had caused as well as the damages and she could tell that, that required a lot of chakra.

Hinata shook her head gently. "That had been my team's assumption but I had ruled that out after comparing his chakra pathways with those that resulted from forced production and extraction of chakra." She then took a deep breath before she continued, "Sasuke's pathways are worse than that. Sixty-four percent of his chakra system is ruptured."

Although Miki was the only one among the Uchihas who completely understood the implications, all of them paled. The three male Uchihas could tell that that Sasuke's case was way beyond serious.

"That is the reason I had to close eighty-two percent of chakra points. He's now being supported by machines." The chakra running through the man was just a trickle to let his internal organs function together with life-support machines.

"Sasuke," Naruto began, "he told me that he was able to kill his captors with a chakra that gave him a euphoric feeling of being unstoppable and invincible."

"Then it's chakra overload," Sakura stated. Hinata nodded in agreement.

"So what are we going to do?" Kisho whispered almost fearfully.

"Chakra overload is a very, very rare case but there must be some operation," Hinata answered. She had conveniently forgotten that most cases of chakra overload led to death. But Sasuke had survived with ruptures so in a way it had attested to his strength and endurance. There was still hope for him. "After all, if anything created by chakra could be destroyed by it then anything damage by chakra could be cured by it as well."

"What if there isn't?" Akemi asked.

"Then we'll have to do it without any guides. Either way it is very risky."

The Uchihas shared a look before Naruto said, "then do it." He was fairly certain that Sasuke would undergo any treatment regardless how risky it was.

"We'll inform you if we found anything and a day before operation starts," Hinata said. "You can go and see Sasuke."

When it was just Hinata and her, Sakura asked what she had been thinking, "It couldn't be his cursed seal, right? No matter how menacing it was, it would never hurt Sasuke. Besides, it disappeared when Orochimaru died."

"I'm thinking about what Sandaime-sama had said about strength," the dark-haired kunoichi said.

_Shinobis true skills are shown when he protects his important persons._

Sakura sighed. If it was true skills then why was their friend got hurt? She shook her head unable to understand Sasuke's situation. Perhaps, that would remain a mystery.

"I'll join my team in their research now," the other kunoichi told pink-haired before leaving. She had decided to map out her patient's damaged chakra system when his family had already left his ICU.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Having dismissed her team few hours ago, Hinata was now alone in the small library annexed to the main hospital building. She occupied one long table where books, scrolls and papers were almost neatly scattered. She leaned back on her chair and massaged her closed eyes.

"Hinata," a voice called out so suddenly that she almost jumped out from her skin. She opened her eyes and saw her husband across the table. Seeing him made her looked at the wall clock.

_9:56_

Her pale eyes widened as she remembered that she and Kiba had agreed to meet outside the hospital by nine-fifteen.

"Kiba, I'm so sorry. I got so caught up with things that I didn't realize the time."

That was so obvious to the Hyuuga leader as he took in the appearance of the desk. Books were haphazardly piled one after another like some old bricks. Scrolls were scattered everywhere. Some papers were pinned on the varnished wood while others were peeking from envelopes and folders. He could read notes written in his wife's neat handwriting and in different ink color. The notes were cramped and looked gibberish just like the figures that appeared once in awhile but he could tell they were all significant. His eyes landed on sheets of twenty-eight by fourteen illustration paper carefully set aside. All sheets contained the same diagram of chakra system. He read the characters carefully written on the upper part of each sheet.

U-chi-ha Sa-su-ke.

"Isn't Sasuke better now?" he asked curiously.

"Late afternoon, complications arose-"

"And now you're stuck here?" he stated half-seriously.

Hinata looked guilty and embarrassed that her husband had to laugh.

"It's okay," he assured because he understood her passion and commitment. "But let's get some dinner first. I don't want you to starve." His wife looked so hesitant that he added quickly, "it will be quick."

His wife relented.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Around five in the morning, Hinata sighed in relief and satisfaction as she finally completed her research. She pressed her forehead against the cold surface of the table and without meaning to, fell in a dreamless sleep.

When she woke up, it was already almost ten in the morning. She hurriedly returned all references to their places, gathered and tucked her notes in her folders then ran towards the staff room where she knew Sakura usually was during her break.

Sakura paused in drinking her coffee when she saw a rare sight- the elegant Hinata looking disheveled. She replaced her cup on the table and watched as her colleague at the same time friend sat on the seat across from hers.

"I found an old record about an operation made on ruptured chakra pathways," she explained. "But the problem is that it was a small operation with just one ruptured area and not as severely damaged as our patient's so," here she paused to hand her notes to Sakura, "I improvised."

Emerald eyes carefully scanned the sheets full of not only text but numbers and diagrams. Everything was detailed and noted. Hinata had calculated not only the risk, the amount of chakra to be applied but as well as time interval and duration. Her work was impressive and Sakura praised her for it.

"They're all assumptions based on the facts given and observations made," the Hyuuga mistress said humbly.

A pink eyebrow rose when something caught her attention. "Perform simultaneously?"

"If we take care of one leak at a time Sasuke would be in more danger because for every closed leak, we have to decrease his supply of chakra. Whereas in simultaneous operation, we can maintain the amount of chakra flowing through him at this moment."

"I see."

"And since, Sasuke's case is severe, direct chakra application is more appropriate."

"And for that, a number of medic-nin is needed," Sakura concluded.

"Exactly. My team and yours are sufficient," her colleague said. "I need three days to orient you all and get us ready."

Sakura nodded. "I'll fill-up the request forms. Why don't you get some rest?"

"I'll leave the rest to you," Hinata replied.

"Thanks for you hard work."

After that, Sakura immediately took care of all forms before she left to inform Naruto about the operation.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Time seemed to run so fast for the next few days then was torturously dragging on Sasuke's operation day. His family had visited him an hour before his schedule and watched as he was being wheeled into the operation room. When the doors were shut close, Naruto, Akemi, Miki, Kisho went their separate ways and did their respective tasks to divert their mind from the long wait ahead.

Akemi was training with his team; Miki doing a mission inside the village together with her team; Kisho attending his classes and Naruto was doing desk job.

This time, the blonde hokage wasn't scared. Worried? Yes but not scared and all because he was wearing Sasuke's wedding ring Hinata had removed and handed it to him an hour ago.

He looked at the two identical platinum rings he had on his left hand, amazed that such tiny object managed to capture his spouse's warmth and was now emitting it. He fingered both rings which were bearing light scratches here and there. But despite that, in the blonde's opinion, they were as beautiful as his and Sasuke's relationship.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

With her byakugan activated, Hinata observed the whole proceeding as was her role was and so far her colleagues had maintained the amount of chakra they needed to apply. In addition, Sasuke's condition was good enough for her not to close few chakra points to reduce the amount.

But she had thought too early because past an hour later, Sasuke's feet started getting purple causing her to order Sakura's team to increase their chakra by ten percent and her team decrease theirs by six while she closed two more chakra points.

For the next few hours until the completion, chakra adjustment, closure and opening of various chakra points were frequent making the whole thing twice difficult. The rate of unpredictability had doubled when trouble arose one after another but both teams had risen to the challenge and cope splendidly. All of them were happy and relieved when the surgical treatment was declared a success.

The next 24 hours had Sasuke in heavy observation because this period was considered the most critical. Much to their relief, his state had improved and batch by batch for the next six days, Hinata opened his chakra points.

Later on when he was conscious, Sakura and Hinata had admitted him to a rehabilitation program so his stay in the hospital was prolonged and he hated every moment of it.

The Uchiha leader never liked hospitals. The building reminded him too much of his clan's death; of Orochimaru's seal and of when Itachi had used the mangekyou sharingan on him. The white walls seemed to mock him of his helplessness and weakness on those times. The only time he lightened up and forgot where he was, was when his family would visit him almost daily. Those were the moments he looked forward to. He enjoyed their conversations and hated it when visitation hours came to an end. He didn't want to be alone in the dark where loneliness bounced off from the white pristine walls of his room.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Like a caged bird having its first taste of freedom, Sasuke wanted nothing more than to feel the fresh wind caressing his face, see the blue skies and looked at the greenery but Naruto insisted to thank all the medical staff that had look after him for his five-month stay. He didn't mind the thanking but his blonde was doing it in what he thought was slower than showing gratitude should be.

After what was like eternity, both of them were finally out and Sasuke couldn't help the soft smile that tainted his usually emotionless face nor could he help the light fluttering of his heart. He was finally free and going home.

As they wove their way to their residence, they held each other's hand causing the young couples to chuckle in amusement and disgust while older people whispered at their public display. But all the villagers knew that everything was back to normal again as far as the Uchiha family was concerned.

Sasuke grimaced when Naruto stopped so suddenly that he felt like his arm had been pulled out from its socket. He was about to scold the blonde when he noticed that those intense blue eyes were focused on something in the trees. He followed his gaze and saw the objects that captivated his spouse's attention - the greenish lights emitted by the fireflies as they gathered together in group. The fireflies in the distant, the lake softly flowing beneath the small and narrow bridge they were standing and the twilight blended perfectly to make a romantic scene or at least that was what Sasuke thought making him tighten his hold on the tanned hand.

With a sigh, he took Naruto's chin so their eyes would meet. Smirking, he asked, "Don't tell me you're procrastinating from keeping your promise?"

_When you're completely healed, we can do it anytime and as many times as you want._

Blue eyes widened. "Bastard, don't tell me you…"

The dark-haired man just grinned at him. He won't deny the accusation written in those orbs because it was true. He had used that promise as an inspiration to get healed as early as possible. It was because of that, that his improvement had impressed the medical staff.

"Pervert," he heard Naruto murmur.

"But weren't you the one who promise such thing?" he countered while dragging his companion to their destination.

­**-SasuNaru is love-**

"We're home," Naruto shouted as they stepped into the genkan.

A second later, there was a squeal before Miki and Kisho rushed to their otousan and threw themselves at him. Sasuke ignored the pain as he fell on his butt as his two children tackled him.

"Sheesh, go easy on the recuperating man, will ya?" Akemi told his two siblings in a light reprimanding voice. The two pouted but pulled themselves away.

Sasuke arched his brow when Akemi offered a hand to help him stand. With a shrugged, he took it.

"Welcome home, otousan," the dark-haired boy said.

Sasuke nodded, "thanks."

A grinning Naruto then announced, "I'll start cooking." And what planned to be simple meal turned out as a feast. At least to the Uchihas.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke who was sitting on the edge of the bed, closed the book softly as he heard the bathroom door being slid shut and looked up. The scene in front of him immediately made his pants painfully tight.

Naruto, who was fresh from the shower and whose towel was hanging dangerously low on his hips, was leaning against the door. Obsidian eyes followed the water drops trailing downward. He told himself not to be jealous because soon he would be trailing his tongue over that tanned skin and unlike those drops, his won't be linear. It would be anything but that.

"Did I make you wait?" Naruto asked softly like a gentle wind caressing the curtains. He threaded his hand through his wet hair as he looked at his spouse's direction.

The pale man fingered the book which was nothing compared to that hard body he wanted to grope for all he was worth. "No, you didn't".

_What I had been impatiently waiting for…_

The blonde grinned because he knew the other man was lying. And the latter knew that the former knew that he was lying. "Sorry for making you wait," he said huskily before he dropped the towel revealing himself. "Your feast is ready."

_What I had been fervently longing for…_

Inky orbs dilated as he saw the glorious body naked and ready for his devouring. A soft groan came past his lips as he let his eyes ran over the object of his desire, lust and love.

_What I have been selfishly wanting…_

Naruto found it hard to breath as pleasure coursed through him. God! If this is how it was when Sasuke was just looking at him appreciatively, how much more if the latter would start touching him?

"Come here, dobe," the dark-haired man ordered, his voice as rich and tantalizing as caramel. Obediently and quietly, Naruto obeyed. But in retaliation for the name, he took a fistful of black hair and tugged them backward causing the other man to grimace.

_I finally have it and…_

"Stop calling me that, bastard!"

Sasuke smirked almost in sinister. "'_When you're completely healed, we can do it anytime and as many times as you want.' _So technically, it means everything is about me and my wants," he stated selfishly.

Naruto shivered at that voice and those fingers that ghosted over his skin. Instinctively, he leaned forward, wanting more of the touch while Sasuke chuckled deeply as drew the blonde closer between his legs. The blonde wasn't scared of how selfish his husband sounded. He knew that Sasuke's wants was also his and vice-versa because they were one.

"Then, do whatever you like with me," he said as his perched his left knee on one pale thigh. Although submissive, there was power behind his tone and words… power that conquered and humbled the conqueror as strong as Sasuke.

…_and I don't have the strength to let go…_

"Of course," his husband said. His voice was still possessive but it was now laced with reverence.

_Nor the sanity to do so._

**TBC**

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I was supposed to continue this lemon scene but I wanted this ending more. And with Naruto keeping his promise with Sasuke, they would do it over and over again until their libidos are satiated which is impossible so... they'll stop as soon as they are too tired to move even their pinkies. 

Yep, everything is okay between our beloved couple... for now. Kukukukuku.


	60. 情熱のリボン

**Same old drill. Same old.**

**To Koneko-chan: Thanks for pointing that out. **

**Reviews are always greedily welcomed. Thanks, guys.**

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**Chapter 60: Ribbon of passion **

Although nothing had changed, Konoha and its streets seemed strange and all because it had been too long since they had walked these paths. It had been too long since they smelled the scent of their village; too long since they had met their loved ones and too long since they stood in front of the hokage, presenting themselves.

It had been two long years away from their home.

"Welcome home, everyone," the rokudaime greeted them with one big grin. They returned the gesture with a smile of their own. "I'll give you a one-week off so enjoy and relax."

They all bowed and chorused, "Thank you."

"Thank you for your hard work," the hokage told them and they bowed once more before Tomo, Kazue and Taiyo left leaving father and son.

"Welcome home, Yuu," Naruto greeted once more but this time it was a greeting from a father to his son. "I'm glad you're looking healthy and fine."

"I'm glad I'm home," the younger Uchiha said. "I hope nothing happened during my absence."

"Well it's more than 17 months since your otousan almost died due to mission."

"Is he okay?" he asked with slight panic in his voice.

"He's more than okay. Thanks to the best medical staff we had," he replied. Yes, until now he was still grateful for what Hinata's and Sakura's team did. "Your siblings especially Akemi did a good job, too."

"Well, that's expected from Akemi." Yuuzuki made a mental note to talk with Akemi for more information. Unlike his chichiue who tended to summarize every solved problem, his little brother would narrate the whole event in painful detail making him feel as if he was there.

Naruto was about to say more when his son yawned. Chuckling, he waved his hand in dismissal, ""Why don't you go home and sleep? We have a lot of things to talk and probably your siblings too."

Yuuzuki just nodded and lazily waved his hand before he disappeared. And although he was tired, he took the streets wanting to take his time walking towards his residence. He had missed the place… missed Yukina whom he was going to visit later on. But fate had other plans as he heard a gentle and painfully familiar voice calling his name.

He slowly turned his head over his shoulder and his eyes dilated to see Yukina, more beautiful than he remembered.

Yukina looked at him as wave after wave of different emotions crash against her. _He's here. He's finally here._

Yuuzuki gave her a heart-melting smile, "I'm home."

"Welcome home," she replied and let the lad took some of the grocery bags she was carrying.

"No work?"

"It's a school holiday," she said. "No, you're going to the wrong direction."

That confused the shinobi. "Your house is this way, right?"

Yukina chuckled. "I'm living in an apartment for three weeks now. I wanted to try living on my own," she explained. But it was difficult to live on her own when her brunette father was always checking up on her and bringing her meals. It was frustrating at the same time touching. Even her daddy seemed to develop a habit of dropping by on a daily basis but at least his visits were always announced unlike his father's.

When they reached her new home, Yuuzuki arched a brow in amazement. The place was cozy and homely and it reflected his girlfriend's warm personality. He watched as she started preparing snack.

Whether it was coincidence or not, Yuuzuki didn't know but it was ironic that the kind of tea and cake they partook two years ago was the same one Yukina offered to him.

"How are you?" he asked affectionately as he started eating his slice cake.

"Fine. Nothing had changed," was the indifferent reply but the lad could detect disappointment in her voice. Yukina knew that but she didn't care to explain that such feeling had stemmed out from the fact that she hadn't gotten pregnant when they did it for the first time. She had been hoping to be pregnant so she had someone who'd take her mind off from Yuuzuki but when she had her period, she had been so disappointed that she had become short-tempered much to her friends and parents' worry. Obviously, she hadn't gotten over from what she called as a failure.

The couple continued talking, trying to make up for the lost time of their relationship. They wanted to get as comfortable as possible before they'd start touching each other which was what they wanted.

When they had consumed their cakes, both of them stood up with the intent of cleaning the table and washing the plates. Yuuzuki volunteered to do the latter. When the kunoichi handed him one plate, their hands brushed softly causing them to gasp and pulled back as if being scorched. Their gazes clashed just as the plate crashed to the floor and shattered into pieces. But none of them mind because the crashing sound had happened somewhere outside their small world. In a split of second, they were furiously kissing each other, tasting each other's sweetness and mapping out the once familiar hot cavern.

Yuuzuki pushed Yukina towards what he supposed was her bedroom and let themselves tumbled over the soft bed while remaining the passionate contact.

When they pulled apart, they were breathless and flushed but still hungry.

"Yukina, can-"

"Don't ask. Just do it," she replied, her hot breath fanning against his face. And he never did. He took and offered and his girlfriend returned the favor. The first punch of their passion was so powerful that none of them paid attention that they were tearing each other's clothes and tossing them to the floor haphazardly. All they wanted was to feel each other without any obstacles. The second punch of desire hit them as their flushed skin pressed against each other. Hard and lean body against soft and pliant one.

In her wish to please her lover, she had got down and engulfed his throbbing, hard length. And the deep and throaty moan that rumbled from him made her more hot and wet.

"Fuck," Yuuzuki breathed as Yukina started humming, intensifying the pleasure flowing through him. The vision was getting blurry and all he could hear now was the furious and loud beating of his heart. For each second that passed, the boiling lava that was pooling at the pit of his stomach was increasing until he couldn't take it anymore. With a muffled shout, he came so hard that most of his essence dripped from Yukina's sweet mouth.

All he could manage was breathed her name and then followed by, "that was wonderful." The girl blushed. She didn't want her boyfriend to know that she was reading porn magazines once in a while in preparation for this moment. She wanted it to remain her deep and dark secret. But she had nothing to worry because Yuuzuki wasn't interested with that because he was now planning on returning the pleasure ten-fold. That was his plan when he pushed his love on her back and started playing with her supple breast before burying his face in her womanly mound.

Pleasure exploded within her when Yuuzuki alternately licked and nibbled her intimate part. It wasn't long when the lad was sporting an erection. Her moistness, heat and scent had caused that.

"Please," the girl begged. She couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to feel Yuuzuki. She wanted him inside her, moving and plunging. She wanted them to be one - a proof that he was finally with her.

Perhaps Yuuzuki had understand her unspoken wants because he positioned himself, raised her hips a bit then plunged into her welcoming tight heat.

His eyes crossed as he sheathed himself inside her. Their mouths met as they started moving towards their completion. He made sure that Yukina would find more pleasure than he did. He wanted to give her an orgasm- a nerve-wracking one and he knew how to.

Having been working as an errand boy in a whorehouse gave him a very good advantage. His job had given him close contact with whores and when he conveniently slipped that he had a girlfriend, the whores he had befriended started giving him tips on how to give his girl her orgasm.

He changed his angle and made sure to touch the patch of nerves his whore friends mentioned. And he knew he hit it when Yukina cried out. With that pace and position, they continued rocking against each other until everything exploded beautifully. And when there were so much happiness, Yukina fell in a deep slumber in the arms of the source of such feelings.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Yukina became aware of the world, the noise outside her place told her that it was now past three in the afternoon. She rolled to the other side of the bed hoping to find Yuuzuki there. The smile faded when all she felt was air. Was it just a dream? No, it wasn't. Her body was too deliciously sore for it to be just that. She opened her eyes and sat up, her blanket pooling around her waist. She was about to rub her eyes, when she realized that she had an audience.

"Yuuzuki?" she murmured sleepily while grabbing the sheet to cover her chest. She suddenly turned shy seeing that her boyfriend was now wearing boxers.

The lad was sitting on a chair, looking at her with an unreadable expression. He had been watching throughout the time she had slept. For that time only one thought kept coming back to him: he wanted her with an illogical need. At least to him, it was illogical. He didn't want to let her go after thinking that beyond her, he saw nothing. He didn't want her to be with anyone else. He wanted her to be his in every aspect. He didn't understand why he had become this possessive. Was it because of the time they spent apart? Or was it because he was influenced by the possessiveness of his friends back at his working place? After all, there wasn't a day those women never fought because one party had stolen her customer or something and most of the time, it was him who settled those full-blown cat fights.

"What's wrong?" she asked a bit alarmed and scared. She had never seen Yuuzuki like this nor had he emanated this almost dark aura.

Yuuzuki leaned forward towards her and said without preamble, "Marry me."

The girl could only gape at him as her brain slowly registered the sudden proposition.

Yuuzuki pulled out the small box he had been holding and presented it to her. He had bought it during his mission with a plan to give it to her a year or two later. However, after what happened between them few hours earlier, he had grown impatient.

"Yukina?" Impatient for her answer and scared that she would decline.

After what was like an eternity, she smiled and nodded.

"You scared me," Yukina confessed as her arms wrapped themselves around him.

"That's my line," he whispered as he closed the gap between them and she pulled him back to the bed.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The Hatake couple was pleasantly surprise when their daughter waltzed into their dining room. The two shared a look seeing that very strange goofy smile on her face.

"Something good happened?" Kakashi bothered to ask when it was so obvious.

The girl's smile just grew wider.

It was only when Iruka sat back on his chair after preparing another set of plate for their daughter, did the latter displayed her hands on the table.

Both males didn't miss the glittering stone perched on her particular finger.

"W-what's that?" Iruka dumbly asked. What could he possibly say other than that when his vision focused on that object alone?

"It's an engagement ring," Kakashi dumbly pointed out as well. Although he looked calm, his mind raced from torturing the man who dared propose to his girl to crying that they would be losing her then finally to mirroring her goofy smile.

"I know that," the chuunin almost snapped at him before looking at their daughter again. "Who?" Another dumb question but Iruka wanted to hear the name from Yukina just so he could really make sure.

"Yuuzuki." Her dreamy look intensified but disappeared when both of them sported a frown. "You don't approve?" she asked in a tearful and disappointed voice.

They immediately denied her accusation.

"You're going to marry Yuuzuki," Iruka stated almost forcefully.

"So? Is it bad?"

Kakashi sighed. Yukina was too wrapped up in her own happiness to understand while his spouse was too worried that he crammed all the things he wanted to say in one statement.

"Yukina," the jounin started. "Yuuzuki isn't an ordinary ninja. He is the heir of a prestigious clan. By marrying him, you're marrying into the clan. Expectations from you as the heir's wife are great. And that would intensify together with pressures once Yuu became the leader. More or less that's the trouble you're getting at." He ended his explanation with a smile.

To be honest, she had never thought about the implications and consequences of marrying an heir. Although she was aware of what her man was, she tended to forget it because Yuuzuki never made a fuss about his future role. In fact, Yuuzuki never brought up any topic related to being an heir. It was as if, he was silently renouncing his position. But she knew Yuuzuki would never do that. Something told her that he accepted his future role and was aware of the responsibilities and consequences that came along with it. The promises he whispered to her on her bed were the proof.

_It's going to be tough but I'll be with you. I'll protect you with everything I have and will have. I'll be your strength.  
_  
She looked at her parents with determination flaring in her eyes. "I could only guess what lies ahead for me but I'm not alone. Yuuzuki, both of you and my friends would be there for me." Then she gave them a beautiful smile before she added confidently, "Besides you brought me up to be strong."

Both parents sighed in defeat and relief.

"Yuuzuki will come here tomorrow night," she informed them just when Iruka was about to ask for details. Hearing such announcement sent the chuunin into a frenzy of planning what dishes to cook and what tableware to use.

His husband looked at him with lazy amusement before one eye focused on their daughter. "Congratulations," Kakashi said.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Yuuzuki was reunited with his family, he had acted normal as if he hadn't screwed his girlfriend nor had he proposed to her. He acted and looked normal that nobody could tell how tensed he was inside and he wanted it to stay that way. Trying to stop himself from thinking of how to break the news to his parents and siblings, he invited Miki to a spar which the girl immediately accepted. Then he observed the spectacle spar between his two younger brothers before proceeding inside to play Goh with their otousan while their chichiue was cooking their supper.

He really thought no one would know because his actions didn't give him away until he noticed that the remaining two dark-haired of the family were staring at him as if he had grown another head while the rest of the family were laughing.

Kisho was kind enough to explain to him between guffaws what he had just done before he could ask or demand.

"You just poured a lot of soy sauce into your miso soup."

Yuuzuki blinked and before he decided to deny it and make a fool out of himself (if he still hadn't), he looked at his soup which was now taking the color of soy sauce instead of its usual color of light caramel.

"He must have picked that habit during his latest mission," Miki commented as she held her stomach. This time around, Akemi was now chuckling.

"Is there something wrong, Yuuzuki?" Naruto managed to ask.

The eldest Uchiha sibling took that inquiry as a perfect opportunity. He took a deep breath before he said what nobody in the family had expected for sometime.

"I asked Yukina to marry me."

And the sudden silence that crushed like Tsunami over the place was overwhelming for all of them. Nobody moved nor dared to make any sound. Nobody but Naruto who was choking with his own saliva.

Miki was quick enough to hand him his glass of water while gently thumping his back. "You mean marriage as in…" he trailed off, letting his hands which were moving wildly to do the talking.

"Yes as in…" Yuuzuki replied imitating his chichiue's hand movements. Sure, he was nervous beyond reality but he had to make things light because the atmosphere was too uncomfortable.

And then everybody or at least his siblings, was talking.

"Does that mean I get another sister?" Kisho asked their still silent otousan.

"Hey!" Miki protested at her younger brother's statement. "Are you telling me I'm not enough?"

"Not really but with more sisters that means more fun."

The blond girl nodded. With another female in the family, she would never be so alone, right?

"Does her parents already know about this?" Akemi asked. Trust that boy to be so serious in everything.

Yuuzuki stood up and bowed to all of them and in a voice that carried over the din his siblings were causing, he said, "Please allow me to marry Yukina. Please recognize her as my fiancée, my wife and soon to be member of this clan."

The request made in an almost desperate and pleading voice caused the other 3 kids to shut up and looked expectantly at their surprised parents.

"Are you aware of the responsibilities that come with marriage, Yuuzuki?" Sasuke asked seriously, his obsidian eyes alert for any small change of his emotions.

The boy nodded. He had watched both of his parents to have a very good idea what marriage means. Marriage wasn't a bed of roses or a walk through the park. It was a product of understanding, patience, hard work and most of all love from both parties. He had also seen enough what responsibility it brings.

"Can you do it?" Naruto asked. "Will you have no regrets marrying at this age?"

He shook his head. "I'm ready and if there would be any regrets it would be if I didn't ask her now."

"Then I expect you to go and talk to her parents tomorrow so the next day we can go and talk with them," Sasuke said.

And the relief that came from that statement made Yuuzuki tired but happy. He couldn't stop grinning and even returned his siblings' teasing with his own.

"Is there something else?" their chichiue asked when he noticed that their eldest boy was casting them furtive glances. The latter chuckled, rubbed his nape before he became serious again.

"I need to ask a selfish favor from both of you," he started. "I know my future role is but until then I want to live on our own. I want to live in the house next door." He noticed his otousan frowning. "I promise that when it is my time, we'll return to the main house."

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence and fidgeting on Yuuzuki's part, the Uchiha leader replied, "I trust on your words."

"Thank you very much."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto had a thoughtful expression on his face as he lie down on their bed on his stomach his hands cupping his face. "Ne, Sasuke?" he called out to his husband who was sitting on their desk writing something.

"Don't you think Yuuzuki is too young to marry?" he asked almost sadly.

The other man titled his head to his direction and said, "As far as I can remember we also married at the age of 19. You're being a hypocrite, dobe."

The blonde scowled. "Yeah but… what would you understand, anyway?" he asked before pouting. A second later, Sasuke was sitting on the bedside.

"Idiot," Sasuke whispered. Of course! He understood what the blonde was feeling. No matter how old Yuuzuki or any of their kids grow, to them, they will always be their little kids. And now one of them was going to start a new life- life that they could not participate but just watch from the sidelines. The fact caused a feeling of helplessness within him every time he thought about Yuuzuki getting married.

"I don't want to lose him," Naruto confessed. He had nothing against Yukina. In fact, he always thought that the girl was sweet and perfect for his boy but…. He wasn't ready to see him off yet. Wasn't it just yesterday that both he and Sasuke was cooing at and carrying him in their arms?

The blonde looked like he was about to cry that his spouse pressed a light kiss on his forehead. "We aren't losing him. He's just getting independent and we can still visit him anyway."

A tanned hand curled around his pale neck as his wife asked him, "Sasuke? Is this what it feels like to have your son marrying soon?"

"Dobe, this is my first time too so don't ask me stupid questions."

The feeling of sadness and joy merging together… they knew it was part of being parents but they didn't like the sensation or its novelty. To them, it sucked big time.

"If the loss is so big, we can make another one, y'know," Sasuke whispered huskily as his hot lips trailed along the left side of Naruto's face.

"I don't want to go through the whole wretched proceeding called pregnancy for the fifth time," the blonde replied with his thumb moving in circle on one particular pale skin spot.

"**_Liar" Kyuubi called out in a sing-song voice._**

"**_He doesn't have to know so shut up."_**

"**_You can just tell him the truth."_**

"**_No and that's final."_**

"If you aren't tired, can you accompany me somewhere?"

"Where?"

Sasuke's answer was grabbing him and he 'poof'ed them into the house Yuuzuki was talking about earlier. He chuckled as he felt the other man tensed before clinging into his left arm. That was Naruto's reaction every time he accompanied Sasuke in his 'house visitation'. "Dobe, there's no ghost here."

"How can you be sure? Nobody had lived this place for so long."

"Hn." Sasuke reached out to the light switch to turn it on.

As the Uchiha leader inspected the place, his wife was busy looking around, ready to bolt if any ghost would appear somewhere within his field of vision.

"I think the reconstruction would be done within a month," he murmured.

Naruto gaped at him. "Are you nuts? The house is big. It won't be enough. And there's no point in hurrying, they won't get married for the next seven months."

"So? Besides there still interior decoration to be made. Not to mention, their moving in. The earlier this one is done, the better. At least, we can then focus on their wedding plans and all."

"But no carpenter would agree to your demands."

Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto. "You forgot a very important fact that _the_ Uchiha is asking them and that the house they're going to reconstruct is my heir's."

"Arrogant bastard," he retorted but he knew it was the truth. The name 'Uchiha' held a lot of power more than anyone could fathom. Wasn't that the reason why few people who still hated him for having Kyuubi served him obediently and respectfully? Wasn't it because he was an Uchiha by marriage and the wife of the clan's leader?

**TBC**

* * *

Not much action because... I dunno.

It's Naru's birthday today and I don't have any SasuNaru nose-bleeding action. Sheesh...


	61. 誓います

**SasuNaru, Yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read**

**Naruto belongs to Kishi-sama.**

**I'm really getting busy with work starting today until February so if updates are getting slower please blame it my boss. He even asked me to report this sunday. Anyway, because of this, I want to finish this fic sometime in November because I don't know if I could give enough time for this story when December comes. The reason I'm telling you this is because I might post two chapters in one day or something. Hmmm... you must be happy with this decision, ne?**

**Hypocritica: Hey, thanks for the feedback. When I planned for Yuu and Yukina to get married, I had no plans of letting them off easily from my cruel hands so rest assured that they'll be learning lessons the hard way.**

* * *

**Chapter 61: Vows**

The Konoha rumor mills were working at top speed in spreading the news that Uchiha heir was getting married. To whom? Nobody knows. Well, the close friends of the Uchiha family as well as Yuuzuki's team knew but they weren't telling so in the end the others who were kept in the dark could only speculate.

However that had stop when 4 days later, they spotted Naruto and Yuuzuki stepping into a shop specializing in wedding kimono, stayed there for almost an hour and when they stepped out, they already had Iruka and his daughter with them. What was more? Both youngsters were walking side by side, talking lightly with each other. And so Yuuzuki's bride finally had a name and a face.

And although majority of the lad's fan club members were against the idea of him marrying to an adopted lady, they couldn't do anything about it. Just one look at Yuuzuki looking at his bride with so much affection and protective, they knew it was too late to break them up.

And while Yuuzuki was having a good time planning with his wedding, Akemi was having the worst days of his life. The second Uchiha child was currently pressed against a brick wall and camouflaging himself to escape his older fan girls who had turned more rabid after news of his brother's impending marriage spread like wildfire. Just because one of them was marrying didn't mean that he was also going to get married soon but the majority of his admirers didn't understand this or they refused to understand.

What was even more annoying was that his two closest friends- Ryouji and Akira were also helping those girls in looking for him by telling his usual hiding spots. Sometimes they even pointed out to the girls when Akemi was in disguise. But when things escalated beyond their fun level which was very often, they were the first one who would help hide the Uchiha prodigy and fool the girls.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"As expected from the shop owner," Sasuke murmured appreciatively as he stared at the kimono carefully folded in a box bearing the shop's logo. It had been a clan tradition that the leader should give the soon-to-be-member of the family a kimono with the clan's symbol stitched into it. The kimono should be very fine, beautiful and not to mention expensive. It had to be perfect that the shop owner whose ancestors had been serving the Uchiha's orders for kimono personally made it and took her almost two months. And because it was an act of recognition from the leader himself, the new member should wear it during the reception party.

Naruto let a finger glide over it. "Very beautiful," he whispered almost in awe. Looking at it, reminded him of the kimono he had worn at the reception of his own wedding. That kimono also came from the same shop. Well, all of their kimonos came from the same shop but the only time the shop owner made kimono personally was during special occasions such as wedding. He smiled. If Yukina thought her wedding kimono was beautiful, wait until she saw the one that was displayed in front of their eyes. The girl would definitely swoon at it.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Anticipation… anxiety… disbelief then finally happiness. Those were the sensations that had flooded through Yukina's voice when she finally heard her doctor/friend that she was pregnant. Yes, she was carrying Yuuzuki's child and tears of joy fell from her eyes before she hugged her friend. Finally, she thought. At first, she hadn't minded much when she missed her period because her menstrual cycle was always abnormal but when she started getting dizzy and all she finally asked her friend to do a check-up on her and she was glad she did. She couldn't wait to tell her fiancé.

And all to the way to their meeting place, Yukina was almost gliding. She couldn't even stop the giggles that slipped from her lips causing some people to look at her in curiosity and worry.

"You're happier than usual," Yuuzuki calmly stated as he hugged his fiancée.

Yukina giggled before leaning towards to whisper, "You're so going to be daddy seven months from now."

And for once, Yuuzuki had stopped breathing. His world stilled as her words echoed within his being and then everything started moving in quick speed and he kissed her cheeks before claiming her lips. Yukina was giving him too much of happiness. Was it possible for a person to die due to this kind of happiness?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Yukina seemed to float towards the dining room of her parents' house, both her fathers looked at her expectantly.

"Just in time," Iruka stated as he started serving the dishes while Kakashi prepared the table. When they noticed her dreamy look, Iruka thought he could take any of her announcement. After all, what was worse than knowing your daughter was getting married.

Yukina chuckled then with her eyes shining like jewels under the bright light, she said, "'I'm two months pregnant."

Apparently, Iruka couldn't handle it as he fainted.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Due to her pregnancy, Yuuzuki and Yukina were married two months earlier than planned but the Uchiha heir didn't mind. He wanted to claim her so badly that the sooner the better. Since the planning and preparation, he had been suffering with tension headaches. The tension hadn't left him until he saw Yukina affixing her signature on the marriage contract. He smirked. It was final. Yukina was his.

The new couple broke into a grin as the head councilor instead of the hokage who was supposed to be the one who would officiate the wedding, announced them as man and wife. They turned around to face their clapping audience which was composed of close friends and family.

And the elaborate and extravagant celebration that followed was held in the sprawling Uchiha garden which Miki had decorated.

The girl had been adamant in volunteering to decorate the place and her brother had no regrets in leaving that task to her. The place looked like something that came from a masterpiece painting. Gazeboes made up of tree and vines and dotted with flowers graced the lawn. Sweet scent hovered faintly over the whole place. Everything even the amount of flowers was just right. Nothing was out of place because each plant whether grown naturally or by Miki's power obeyed her biddings.

At around three in the afternoon, the new Uchiha couple decided to leave for their two-week honeymoon. Everyone had gathered to bid them goodbye while others shouted suggestive or downright lewd statements. After that, the celebration continued until almost midnight.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Shouldn't thinking hurt you, dobe?" Sasuke teased when he entered their room and noticed the dobe's distant and thoughtful look. His wife seemed too engrossed with his thoughts that he just looked at him almost indifferently.

A fine black eyebrow rose at the lack of response.

Naruto had always silently craved for happy moments as passionately as for ramen. There was just something about such moments that overwhelmed him to a point that made his heart calm at the same time restless. When he was part of this kind of events, he always wanted to drag it for as long as he could or create something similar.

"I want to get married again," he blurted out.

"I don't give a damn about others having two or more wives but I'll be damned if-"

"Cut the dramatics, bastard. You know what I meant," Naruto said as he stepped into his husband's embrace.

"Really?" the other replied as he buried his nose into that mop of sun-kissed hair.

Looking up, the blonde rephrased the statement. "I want us to get married again. Satisfied?"

Sasuke smirked. "We can on our fiftieth anniversary."

The blonde crunched his nose, "That's still twenty eight years from now."

"So? It's just a matter of time," the older man reasoned out.

Naruto nodded in agreement.

"But," the Uchiha leader paused to push his wife to their bed. "We could always proceed to the best part," he suggested huskily.

"I know," the blonde purred as he looked at the face hovering his.

"What? No resistance?"

"Do you want me to?"

"No."

"Then don't ask, bastard." The last word was gasped as Sasuke had already attacked his neck.

_I'll look forward to that time, Sasuke._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Time seemed to flow faster than the gushing river and before Yuuzuki knew it he was waiting restlessly outside the delivery room at some ungodly hour. His parents and parents-in-law were with him and watching them being calm irked him. Why must he be the only one who prowled the hallway like some beast ready to pounce?

The poor guy. He didn't know that it was his turn to be restless because it was his wife who was inside the room.

His ears twitched when he heard a cry coming from a particular room. For a brief second, he was frozen as the cry continued and rushed to his whole being. And words couldn't express the overwhelming sensation coursing through him.

His heart soared when a medic-nin presented his child and handed it over to him. Holding his child, he couldn't but alternate between chuckling and grinning. It was the most wonderful feeling he ever felt and the novelty of it made it twice more wonderful.

He showed off his first boy to his parents who were all crowding around them.

"What's his name?" Iruka immediately asked.

"Haruo."

_Uchiha Haruo._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Akemi walked along the hallway enjoying the serenity and quietness that always embraced the mansion. The peacefulness always gave him the strength to face the day's activities which most of the time were made up of eluding the fan girls. He needed this serenity for his sanity.

"No fair, bastard! Your time is up," he heard his chichiue complained loudly. Akemi sighed. So much for his serenity.

Upon their request, Yukina always left her son in the main house for few hours for Sasuke and Naruto to play with before the two would leave for work. Unfortunately, those two always argued over who should hold him first and for how long. It was comical actually but for Akemi who savored the morning calmness didn't find it funny. He was about to turn around and go somewhere when his chichiue whined his name. Before he knew it, his hands were being grasped by his father who was sporting big puppy eyes.

"W-what?" There was just something wrong about his father. That look never bode well for anybody especially to him and the rest of the family members. His instincts told him to run but his feet remained rooted to the ground.

"Isn't it time for you to find someone to love then marry?"

Akemi looked at him owlishly while Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

"I'm fourteen."

"So? The earlier the better," the blonde reasoned out intelligently. "I'll have so many grandchildren then." He then started laughing maniacally.

Without any reserve, Sasuke approached Naruto and hit his head. "Dobe, don't give him that idea at such an early age!"

"Wasn't it your dream to revive your clan?" he grumbled while nursing his head. "Then it's their role to populate."

"You just want to have grandchildren."

"Because you're hogging him." Naruto then pouted childishly.

Akemi sighed then looked at the cooing Haruo who was Yuuzuki's dead ringer. He gave the Uchiha baby a conspiratorial smile and placed a finger on his lips telling his nephew to keep quiet before he sneaked outside to seek for his serenity.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Gurgles of laughter filled the room as Yuuzuki amuse his child by making funny faces.

"Give the li'l guy a break, Yuu," Yukina, who had quit from her job to become a full-time wife and mother, told him.

"He's too cute for me to stop," he countered back. He found his child too addicting. He loved playing with him. He couldn't wait for his boy to grow up a little so they could play. He grimaced when their child pulled a handful of strands of his black hair.

Yukina giggled. Those two were so cute.

"Akemi and I talked about stuffs..." Yuuzuki said out of blue as he followed his wife's earlier request and started rubbing their boy's back gently.

"Poor guy being chased by those girls."

The Uchiha heir rolled his eyes. _Not to mention the strange talk with chichiue this morning_, he added mentally. His brother had been so bothered that when Akemi met him, the younger boy had immediately demanded that he and Yukina should produce another child right away. Of course, he had to tell him that he and his wife had agreed not to have another one until Haruo turn to a year older.

"I'm worried about his being asexual," he said. It was true. He never saw Akemi looking at any girls or even boys. Like Shouhei, his brother was more focused in getting stronger. But unlike Shouhei who he could tell had his eyes on someone except that he had no clue on whom, Akemi had none. There was no proof to indication of his preferences or any thing that his love life was alive.

"Akemi is just a... ah... late bloomer," Yukina assured him in a not so confident voice. Perhaps she should start introducing some of her younger friends to his brother-in-law but she didn't want to mind his business. She mentally sighed before picking up Haruo. "C'mon, let's give Haruo a bath."

And Yuuzuki followed obediently worrying over Akemi.

**TBC**

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Let us all welcome the new member of the Uchiha clan - Haruo. Poor Akemi is having problems and Sasu and Naru is fighting over the new child. Hahahaha 


	62. 少年の短い勝負

**I'll try to reply to your reviews for the previous chapter today but seeing that I only have 10 minutes before leaving for work… it's a bit impossible so in case you haven't received any reply please wait until tomorrow. **

**And Koneko-chan, thanks for correcting me. I don't mind at all.**

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**Chapter 62: Chakra wave **

Naruto smiled at the figure standing patiently in front of his table. "Welcome back, Mirai," he greeted. "I hope you bring good news."

Chouji and Ino's only girl smiled back at him. With her nearing the age of twenty, she seemed to look more like her mother although she inherited Chouji's hair. That was the only thing the girl had inherited from him which Ino was thankful. Still believing that boys wants slim girl, she didn't want her girl to be as plump as her husband.

The carefree girl chuckled. "I always bring good news, un- I mean, hokage-sama."

"Your team is all right then?"

Something flickered in the jounin's eyes telling Naruto that not everything was fine and he knew what was wrong. Kisho. Or to be exact, the boy's skills.

"I see."

Mirai didn't say anything to contradict or admit what the hokage was thinking. So many times she wondered why Kisho wasn't paired with any of his three close friends and every time she did so, her voice of reason told her that it was for the boys' emotional growth. Those four had stuck together and the committee who was responsible for grouping the new genins believed that they needed to mingle with others thus each boy was assigned to different team. Knowing Kisho's frightening skills and potentials, two top genins from different sections were assigned to his team. The committee had believed that they were the only ones who had the capability to coming close of matching the boy because after all, those two – Miko and Shuichi had excelled inside and outside the classroom.

When team Eight was assigned to her, Mirai had hoped fervently that things would go well. It did but not to her expectations. They get along well enough and they worked with minimum supervision. The problem was they were holding each other down… preventing each other from realizing their potential. Sometimes, Kisho let his sensitive and humble trait get the better of him and he ended up slowing down for his teammates. But there were times when he showed his true skills that made the other two suffer inferiority complex and struggled to get their skills as close as the blonde. Miko and Shuichi trained a lot to the point of collapsing. Although their training and want to get stronger wasn't bad, the reason behind it was because they were putting themselves in danger.

"Kisho-kun completed the mission all by himself leaving his two teammates bitter," she said. "Hokage-sama, I know I said this for more than five times already but this grouping doesn't help them a bit."

Naruto massaged his temples. "Mirai, the committee said this is the only way. Those two were the only ones who could manage to keep up with Kisho."

"Well, they are wrong." Her voice a bit higher. "They understand the dynamics of teamwork yet there were only few instances that they act like a team."

"That's the purpose of grouping them into cells. You know that, Mirai." Naruto's voice sounded tired.

"They're putting themselves in danger! Why can't you understand that?"

"I do. I really do and that's why you're there. To prevent them from getting hurt. Or is the task too great for a jounin like you?"

Mirai knew why she had been chosen to be the team's instructor. Her performance as an instructor was excellent and incomparable. All genins under her tutelage had turned into outstanding chuunins and jounins.

"No," she said but her voice was now resigned. Her previous anger disappearing. "But I don't understand-"

"You do. You just refused to acknowledge it."

Instead of saying anything, Mirai bowed and left to stop Miko and Shuichi who she was certain was training themselves too much. She knew her team's case was hopeless and the only thing that could stop them from hurting themselves is when they are no longer a team.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

This was it. This was one of the highlights of the exam; the one people were looking forward to witness. The battle between two close friends. The fight between two dangerous boys- Kazushi and Shigure.

When their match began, everybody held their breath for few seconds expecting for an immediate winner but the two genins had other plans.

"It's not gonna work," Shigure warned his friend as he cut the chakra coming towards him. If there was some weakness Kazushi's technique had against the perfect assassin, it was that Shigure could feel the Ito chakra piercing his skin thus he could easily cut them.

And if there was one thing Shigure couldn't win against Kazushi, it was speed and flexibility. The doll-looking boy may have weaker offense compared to the other but his dodging skills were excellent. He could bend his body easily like no other. It was as if his bones were jelly or he had no bones at all.

In the end, the two were dancing around each other in a well-coordinated offense and defense.

"Got ya!" Shigure said as he found an opening and plunged his arm forward. A soft clang rang over the arena as Shigure's arm clashed around his other. His eyes widened in surprise and fell on Kazushi's sly smirk. The perfect assassin wondered when did his friend managed to coil his ito chakra into his arm without him noticing.

"It's a lighter and stronger version," Kazushi explained. "The amount of chakra wrapped around your arm isn't enough to destroy it."

_I developed something for the exam_, he remembered his friend saying that. "Is this the one you're talking about?"

The doll-looking boy tilted his head and teasingly he said, "Maybe…"

Shigure raised his left chakra-enclosed shoe but Kazushi immediately curved his body. With a growl, the former pulled his foot and this time it made contact. He watched as blood started trickling from the long cut he made at his opponent's shoulder. In an instant, Kazushi poofed and a carved figurine of an eagle replaced him.

Waves of anger came from Shigure as he realized that it was the figurine he had carved while waiting for his fight and now it had been damaged.

"Oops?" he heard Kazushi said with no guilt or whatsoever.

"You little thief!" he growled. "Look what you have done!"

The other boy shrugged, "You're the one who destroyed it."

Wordlessly, Shigure attacked and they were back to attacking and defending.

_He's moving too fast,_ Shigure thought. _Faster than his usual speed. I could barely…_

"You're really lacking in stamina, Shigure," Kazushi said in patronizing manner but that cunning smirk was there. It took a minute or so for the assassin to learn that Kazushi's wasn't moving faster than usual. It was his reaction speed that was decreasing.

"You, what did you do?"

"I like your chakra," he said. Shigure looked at him in confusion. "It makes my technique stronger."

"You…"

He nodded. The chakra he had been using wasn't his but Shigure's. The moment he had managed to coil his ito chakra, he had started sucking Shigure's and replaced his with it. And those his opponent had cut earlier in the battle never disappeared. Some of those chakra thread fragments had settled on his skin and started sucking and dispersing the other's boy chakra in the air.

His friend's apologetic smile was the last thing Shigure saw before he collapsed. Kazushi took one step towards his unconscious friend before he too collapsed. The chakra absorption and dispersion technique had used a lot of chakra.

From the balcony above, Makoto sighed while Kisho shook his head.

"Well, it's my turn now," Makoto said.

Kisho waved his hand in dismissal, "Don't forget about our deal and don't let your guard down."

His friend smirked over his shoulder, "that should be my line, Kisho." And instead of taking the stairs, he jumped over the balcony with the grace he was known for.

The green-haired Kusagakure kunoichi looked at Makoto dauntingly but the latter just gave him his friendly smile.

"Let's do our best, ne?" he said as he extended his hand only to be slapped by his opponent.

"Let's get this over and done with."

"You're so cold," the Konoha shinobi muttered as he rubbed the part of his hand that sting. At the sound of the whistle from the referee, his eyes turned to a darker shade of purple while his opponent made one hand sign, just one simple hand sign.

The Kusagakure kunoichi smirked.

Makoto gasped as he felt pain exploding at his right side. His vision blurred for a second as he realized that the pain he had sent to his opponent rebounded on him.

"What's wrong now?" his opponent sneered. "You're not as cool as before."

Makoto fell to his knees. He had applied too much chakra that although he had immediately cut it, the pain was still there. He clutched his stomach as the pain intensified and he knew that this was not the effect of his technique.

"You!"

The girl arched a fine eyebrow in arrogance. "I knew a friend who's an onmyouji. One of his techniques gave me this idea. I especially created this for you, Makoto-kun." She had deliberately purred his name. "You should be grateful."

Makoto knew the technique she used was something that was called the mirror technique in onmyouodou. But she had improved it not only to return his attack but also to intensify the pain.

The kunoichi approached him, gloating at his helplessness and his pain-filled expression. She kicked his stomach.

"What a pitiful bug," she spat. She was about to say another insult when she felt his hands gripping her wrist.

"Indeed. What a pitiful bug," Makoto agreed. But the Makoto she was now seeing was different. Her world tilted as she fell on her back and her opponent was now looking at her with a wicked smile.

"You let your guard down," he said as she felt pain creeping on her. She watched, waiting for his face to be twisted in pain but it didn't.

"Wha-" she gasped, unable to continue as pain exploded in her lower abdomen. Tears blurred her vision.

"It was an act," he said. "Sure you surprised me but that was all. I feel pain alright but it's something we can endure." The curse wasn't created to hurt him or his mother, at least not directly. It was made to make them suffer by looking at their loved ones suffering and dying in front of them or by putting the necessary distance between them and their precious persons. "The only reason I have to get you near me is for me to touch you and for the pain to worsen." He was smiling at her wickedly. "It was nice making a fool out of you." He stared at the writhing girl, making sure to vividly remember how her face contorted in pain.

A second later, the girl collapsed. As if nothing happened, he then leapt back to the balcony to join his friends.

"1 minute and 17 seconds," Kisho said. "You could have cut the dramatics."

"I couldn't resist," he replied. "I have something to draw now. You guys would look at it, right?"

The three nodded. They never really like their friend's grotesque drawings as well as what he called 'The beauty of pain' paintings and yet they couldn't decline nor couldn't pull their eyes away the instant they see the paintings which were done so vividly it was as if they were looking at the real one.

"Have fun," Shigure told Kisho as he took the stairs that would lead him to the arena.

Kisho had only smiled when his opponent smiled back at him.

"Ready?" the Mist shinobi asked him.

"I guess so," was the boy's reply that made the other laughed at his innocence.

The older shinobi leaned forward and moved while the blonde just closed his eyes and the next moment, dust rose in the air; the ground trembled; the walls around the arena cracked and the next thing everybody saw was the Mist Shinobi lying on the ground unconscious while Kisho never moved from where he was standing.

The din turned to silence even before it reached to crescendo as they regarded the scene, trying to understand how things happened.

Yuuzuki looked at Hisayuki who was still gaping.

"You saw something good?" he asked teasingly.

The Hyuuga heir closed his mouth and frowned at his friend. "That was so damned cool," he said. He had seen it- that wave of light blue chakra rising ominously behind Kisho like a humongous wave before crashing against the Mist shinobi, overloading his system. He had seen how the older shinobi struggled like a drowning man before he lost his consciousness. Poor guy.

"That's one of his basic techniques- chakra wave," Yuuzuki explained. He came up with that technique on his own after learning how to harness his chakra from Jiraiya. But the wave his brother used was just thirty-five percent. He knew because he had seen the appropriate damages at various degrees the technique could inflict.

"Akemi had left a long-lasting impression with his jounin exam battle while Kisho made a record of the shortest fight. Twelve seconds. Damn," Hisayuki said and shook his head in disbelief and amusement. "Too bad Miki couldn't participate the exam. I wonder how she would perform."

During the last few years of Godaime's term, she had propose to have a different exam for all genins who were serious in becoming medic-nins for the reason that the current chuunin exam didn't test the genins' medical skills. Ever since the foundation of Konoha, ninjas only took the proper medical training after passing the chuunin exam and then take practitioners licensure exam which determines their skill level. Tsunade wished to change this believing that the genins undergoing the medical training earlier would improve the whole unit. After a week-long debate with the council, the proposal was approved. It was called Chuunin exam medicnin version but it was more known as the exam from hell because of the mental stress it caused and of its difficulty that could even reduced the most prepared examinee to a mass of tears. And unlike the original chuunin exam, this was held behind closed doors with the audience composed of just the judges and committee members and the participants were just from Konoha. Of course, when the other Shinobi villages noticed the stark improvement of Konoha's medical battalion, they followed the village's footsteps.

"You must be jealous that your siblings are going to exceed your skills." Hisayuki teased.

At this Yuuzuki chuckled. "I'll do my best to be jealous then throw tantrum before sulking," he replied in a serious tone but his eyes twinkled in merriment. But really he couldn't bring himself to be jealous because he wasn't competing against his siblings but against himself. Sure, sibling rivalry was still present because that was natural but it wasn't enough to cause jealousy or long-lasting grudge. Like him, his siblings were more focused on getting as stronger as they could be.

"I hope he passes," he commented seriously. The fight had been so short that the judges hadn't enough time to even start accessing his capabilities.

His friend nodded in agreement.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After the exam, the committee members gathered in a conference room to decide who qualified for chuunin. One by one, the judges scratch the names of examinees who failed after thorough discussion.

"Uchiha, Kisho," the chairperson mentioned.

Silence filled the room as the committee members couldn't give any feedback immediately.

"Well... ah..." came one member. "He fought for twelve seconds so he's good."

"I don't know about that. Technically, he showed no skills required for chuunins," another one pointed out.

"Is that because he fought for twelve seconds only?" she inquired. "If anything, it meant he's powerful."

"Power isn't everything for chuunin."

The chairperson tapped the table to get the members' attention.

"It would be unfair for Uchiha-kun to scratch him off from the list because of his fight duration. It is also unfair for others to just let him be chuunin," he started. "I am proposing for us to look at his file and mission reports so we could assess his skills."

The rest nodded in agreement.

"I will ask the hokage for the files first thing in the morning. For the mean time let's get some rest. It's almost two in the morning. Thanks for your hard work."

"Thank you for your hard work," the rest replied before they started leaving the room.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A very tired Naruto stealthily entered the master's bedroom so as not to wake his husband up. After the exam, he went straight to his office and had worked overtime to cope up with some of his paperwork. He didn't know it was almost three until he heard a dog howling. Hurriedly, he cleaned his desk and went home. He never knew he was exhausted until he saw their bed. For brief seconds, he was torn between taking a shower or going to bed before his mind made a decision for him. He stripped to his boxers and put on some shirt before he slipped under their blanket.

Seeking warmth, he spooned against Sasuke who stirred to consciousness.

"You're home," he muttered as he turned around to face his wife.

"Just arrived." Naruto pressed closer. "Is Kisho expecting to pass the exam?"

"He looks like he doesn't give a damn about it. Why?"

"All kages were informed that the results will be delayed."

Sasuke knew Naruto knew the reason but he didn't ask because he wasn't in the position to know.

"Sorry for waking you up."

"I couldn't sleep well without you here."

"I know. Me too. That's why I decided to come here instead of sleeping in the hokage sleeping quarters." The blonde smiled, "Good night, Sasuke."

"Hn."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Two days later, the result was announced. Kazushi, Shigure, Makoto and Kisho qualified. But unlike his friends, Kisho was on a three-month probation. Whether he would remain as a chuunin or not depended on his performance during that period.

Despite the results, the boys continued spending their time at their own pace. To them chuunin was just a status and it would never measure their true potential and skills

**TBC**

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**This is a bit rushed. Sorry. Not much SasuNaru action but look forward to it. **


	63. 花が咲き始まる

**SasuNaru, yaoi, OOC, OC's and unbeta-read.**

**Kishimoto-sama owns Naruto characters.**

**Warning: This fic contains just 3 percent of SasuNaru fluff. **

**Thank you for the reviews, guys. Oh yeah, Makkura Arashi took a moment to nominate this story to enter into a competition held by TONFA wwwdotnarutoficdotorg and everytime I think about this it sends me to a good spin of nervousness and the voting hadn't even began yet. . **

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**Chapter 63: When the flower starts blooming **

Naruto opened his eyes, stretched his still sore body before he turned around to the direction where the source of the heavy sensation that had gripped him even in his sleep was.

_Sasuke._

Before he could greet his husband, the latter pressed a finger against his lips.

Sasuke shook his head, silently telling his wife that he didn't want to start his morning yet. His wife nodded and moved close to him while rubbing the hickey that still tingled. A pale hand moved lower to lightly massaged Naruto's sore lower back.

"Hey," Sasuke called out softly right after Naruto purred in contentment.

"Hmm?" came the lazy reply.

"Do you love me?"

That had snapped the blonde from his lazy sleepiness. "Is there something wrong?" he asked warily. After what happened more than two years ago, Naruto was always worried when his spouse would suddenly go sappy, sweet or sentimental on him.

"No, nothing."

"Are you sure?"

Sasuke murmured something inaudible causing the blonde to poke him in annoyance.

"Just some stupid dream which I don't want to narrate," he repeated quickly.

Naruto was relieved that he didn't prod Sasuke to narrate. "Of course. I do love you."

"How much?"

At this Naruto frowned. A long time ago, he had stopped trying to measure his feelings for his spouse after such thought always left him with headache. "I don't know. It's beyond logic."

"Dobe-"

"No more of-"

"I love you too."

"Huh? Oh."

Sasuke smirked. "More than you do."

Naruto frowned. "Dream on, bastard. That's not possible."

The dark-haired man gave him a smug look. "It is, because it's me."

With a growl, Naruto twisted one pale arm. "Really now."

In a split second, they wrestled against each other until Naruto fell off from the bed.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked, his head hovering from the bedside.

The blonde mumbled something about heartless bastard as he struggled to his feet. Just when he stood up, his knees gave way. He would have fallen to the floor if Sasuke didn't pull him back to the bed.

"Was I that rough last night?" he inquired, his lips brushing against tanned forehead.

He had been rough last night but that wasn't the cause. However, Naruto didn't feel like telling his spouse so he settled for, "isn't it obvious?" He then pulled the man hovering above for his morning kiss, "good morning, bastard."

Sasuke groaned which made Naruto laughed as the latter got out from the bed. It was obvious that Sasuke didn't want to move yet. He just wanted to be lazy with his wife in bed.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Gaara tapped his fingers on the table as he sat on his chair in a posture as if he owned the world, no the universe... as if he had all the time in the world when in fact he didn't. He glanced to the door when it was opened. Then annoyance disturbed his emotionless face when it was the blond hokage who stepped inside.

The hokage looked sheepish. But before he could come up with reasons why he was late, Gaara asked after he saw a telltale hickey peeking from the blonde's collar, "so you're still doing it?"

The kazekage had always thought that the Uchiha was a pervert. He still did but he had come into conclusion that his friend was a closet pervert. After all, it takes two to tango right? His assumption was proven correct when Naruto answered honestly.

"There are still a lot of position we haven't tried." He then grinned and his eyes twinkled like jewels when he remembered something. "There are positions so difficult and look impossible until we tried it. I didn't know I could do like this..."

Gaara jumped from his seat; quickly strode and grabbed the blonde stopping him from demonstrating whatever position he had in mind.

"Naruto, I didn't come here all the way from Suna to hear or learn or discuss your sex life with your husband." He stirred the hokage to his seat and unceremoniously pushed him. "Shall we now get down to business?"

"Are you sure you don't want to get married?"

Gaara was closed to attacking the other man. "I don't have to get married to have sex."

Naruto grinned, interest flaring in his eyes. The red-head cursed for all he was worth.

"So, Gaara, who-"

"If I'm interested that is," he added honestly. "According to the reports-"

"Gaara," Naruto whined, almost crumbling the first page of his copy of the report. He only got serious when his view seemed to get a little bit sandy.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Inside one of the laboratory rooms located at the basement of Konoha hospital, one voice trembling with amusement broke the monotony of bubbling sounds coming from various concoctions.

"Just one drop," came the voice that sounded conspiratorial. "One and it'll be over."

Two silhouettes splayed over the wall as the burner was being shifted. A hand then held a medicine drop with an orange liquid over a boiling white liquid. With a nod from one of the figures, the hand pinched the rubber. Slowly, a drop of the orange liquid gently fell and joined the mass of white liquid soundlessly. Unfortunately, the medicine drop had not yet been moved away from the flask so a little drop of the same liquid fell causing the boiling concoction to react immediately. Thick and pungent smoke rose from it causing the two occupants to open windows and increased the speed of the ventilator before they started laughing.

"Look! Look!" Miki said while pointing to the flask.

Yumiko- her teammate since she was assigned to a medic unit and who was one year older than her, did as she was told and her face immediately bore the look of disgust. Their experiment had turned to a gross golden yellow. "Damn. It looks like the color of excretion during LBM."

"Exactly," the blonde said before they dissolved to another bout of laughter.

They whipped their head to the side when the door slid open loudly. Then their cell leader walked in. Although traces of the pungent smell were present, her serious expression didn't change even slightly. As expected of their leader- Rock Hanako. Compared to her twin sister Yuri, she was more adventurous, playful and approachable despite the way she looked so serious. With her black hair tied in a neat bun, Miki and Yumiko knew they had a mission.

"An ANBU team was ambushed. Unfortunately, the first one who got hit was the medic-nin that accompanied them," Hanako explained. "He's in critical condition and we're expected to arrive at their location in fifteen minutes. We have to get there within that time. Understood?"

The two nodded, grabbed their pouches then together with their leader, disappeared in the air.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The maskless ANBU team only became at ease when the medic unit gave the correct password. The two ANBU members had only sword wounds while the medic-nin was bathing in his own blood. It was obvious those who ambushed wanted to eliminate the medic-nin first to decrease the unit's survival rate.

"We did what we could," Shouhei said.

Yumiko immediately attended to the sandy brown-haired shinobi who had wounds in his left thigh while Hanako attended to the medicnin. For the briefest moment, Shouhei's and Miki's eyes met before the blond girl kneeled before him to take care of his wound in his right arm.

Hanako took in the medicnin's situation. His wounds were severe yet none of it hit any vital parts but blood was flowing too much than it should be judging from the injuries so she thought it was strange. She dipped her finger into his blood, pressed his thumb against her blood-covered finger. Her eyes widened when saw realized his blood had lost its stickiness, making coagulation impossible. He had been poisoned.

"Hey!" she called to her team. "Check their blood before doing anything." Her two subordinates wordlessly followed.

"It's normal," Yumiko said.

"Same here," Miki added.

"Then give me your vials for coagulation. Mine isn't enough for him."

Guessing that Hanako's roll of bandage wasn't enough, Miki offered hers. "We have to settle for something else," she told Shouhei who just smiled, all pain forgotten. He watched as hands gently applied a colorless ointment before covering his wounds with gauze. He thought it was over until he saw Miki taking out one of the scarves he had given her.

Reflexively, he gently closed his hand around the material. "It would get dirty."

The medic-nin smiled, "then you'll have to wash it before you'll return it to me. " She then swatted his hand and securely tied the scarf around his injured arm. She patted it softly before she stood up.

Hanako was aware that the injured medic-nin was no longer fit to resume his mission. She was also aware that the ANBU team needed one medical personnel because their mission required them to pass critical areas and Miki with her skills was the best candidate for replacement.

"I'm going to pull him out," Hanako announced. "Miki you go with them."

The blonde nodded and chalked the slight tug at her heart as an excitement that she was going to join an ANBU mission- her first since she became a ninja.

Inwardly, Shouhei didn't like the order due to a personal reason- he didn't want Miki to get hurt.

Yumiko waved at her friend before she and their leader together with the injured shinobi disappeared.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shouhei was holding the end of the line as they sped through the sea of forest.

He could only croaked when a giant shuriken flew from their right side and beheaded Miki, her blood spattering. His mind told him that it wasn't a genjutsu before it shut down. He felt cold at the same time hot. He felt blood draining from him at the same time pumping through his veins. He heard silence with his left ear and a deafening noise with his other. He felt heavy at the same time floating. It was irony and insanity merrily combining as they engulfed him.

It took him awhile before he realized that the beheaded Miki was just a trunk and her blood was just sap. He was at loss whether to cry or laugh. He didn't want to do either so he signaled his men to scatter and annihilate their attackers. He looked around looking for their enemies as well for their medic-nin.

_Wherever you are, please be safe._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shouhei froze in his track then duck as something moved towards him high-speed. He instinctively tightened his hold around his blood-coated sword, ready to kill.

The object slammed against the tree and remained there even after few seconds. Still alert, Shouhei moved towards it and found out that the object was a human body or to be exact a corpse. And the reason it remained pinned against the tree was because of the three objects which upon his closer inspection were sharp short stakes that had pierced through his body. He didn't have to look closer to know that it was Miki's work.

He tore from the place and moved to the direction the corpse came from, hoping Miki was still there. When he found her safe and unharmed he wanted to hug but settled for a pat on her shoulder.

"You're okay," he stated.

"Of course. I'm a kunoichi," she replied, unable to understand the reason behind his soft voice.

The lad smiled wryly, "I'll try to remember that."

It was only then did it dawn on her that he was worried and she blushed lightly. "Shouhei-san, thanks."

"C'mon," he said, "my team is probably waiting for us." And without meaning to and without malice or perversion took her hand in his and led her.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When they arrived home the next day, Miki went to her leader to report while the team went to the hokage tower for debriefing.

On her way home, she bumped into one of her acquaintances- Aki. The boy was two years older than her, charming and skillful in traps.

She smiled as he stood in front of her. The first time they met, he sent a dashing smile to her direction and before she knew it she had been infatuated for two days. Or perhaps, she still was because her heart had picked up speed and she felt blush creeping towards her cheeks.

Aki cleared his throat then stared at her blue eyes. "I was wondering if you'd like to watch a movie with me tomorrow afternoon."

Miki realized quickly that she was being asked for a date. Her first date. She was never aware that her first date had been Shouhei during that festival a long time ago. She stifled the urge to giggle before she asked calmly and coolly, "What movie?"

"The one about rounins."

"Great. I want to watch that."

Aki mentally whooped for joy. "What time are you free?"

"My shift ends by four. Shall we meet at the park near the theater by four-thirty?"

The lad nodded, grinning. "I'll see you tomorrow then," he said before he left.

"Yeah, tomorrow." With an ear-splitting grin, she continued on her way home. That grin didn't disappear as she flopped on her bed with a dreamy look until a realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. She bolted to her closet and frantically checked her clothes for something appropriate.

"Damn," she muttered as she realized she didn't have any. She decided to do a quick shopping. She went to the kitchen and found Akemi. Perfect.

"What?" Akemi asked as he found puppy eyes trained on him.

"Accompany me to the mall."

The older Uchiha scowled. Malls meant a throng of fan girls thus he restricted himself going there unless the purpose was important.

"Why?"

"So I could shop for clothes for my date."

"Date?" somebody echoed from the doorway.

Miki grabbed her younger brother and said, "Say you'll accompany me to the mall."

Kisho shrugged his shoulders and said, "sure."

"I'll go too," Akemi announced because Miki shopping for her date constituted to emergency. In fact, Miki going to a date meant red alert in their family.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The reason Miki asked her two brothers to accompany her was because she wanted to hear the boys' opinion on her choice. She believed that if it was pleasing to her brothers then it was pleasing to Aki too. However, Miki was regretting her decision because they still haven't approved any clothes of her choice. Their reasons for disapproval went as far as the color was too dull or too bright or doesn't suit her complexion or the style was too lame or lacking of design. In frustration, she told them to get what suits their taste and she'd pick one from their choice.

The two happily obliged what she strongly suggested. A minute or two later, Miki paled at what her brothers were bringing. Akemi presented to her pants and blouse which not only were one size bigger than hers but also looked like it came from the women-who-don't-give-a-damn-about-fashion area. The clothes Kisho brought were no better. It was a set of one long skirt and blouse which would never flaunt her lean figure.

Miki was torn between laughing and crying; hugging them for their protectiveness or beating them up.

"I'm going to die as an old maid," she said under her breath. She looked at them pleadingly, "please cooperate with me. Please don't mess my date up."

Kisho and Akemi glanced at each other. They never had any intention to hurt her or make her tearful with their deed and yet her she was pleading like any ordinary girl.

"Just stay here," Akemi said gently, "We'll get you something good."

And they did after more than fifteen minutes and even paid for it when their sister gave her approval. She may feel lonely for being the only girl born in the family but she'd never exchange their pampering for anything in this world.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yukina took a sideway glance at his husband. Yuuzuki was stirring his coffee lazily while he stared distantly. Sighing, she took a seat in front of him and said, "If it worries you so, why don't you go after them?"

He shook his head. While the rest of the family went to spy or in their term 'silently guard' Miki during her date, he went straight to his home right after a mission. Not because of some self-righteous reason but because he was afraid of his reaction if he sees _that_ boy holding hands with his sister.

"C'mon. This will be the only time I'll let you spy-"

"Silently guard."

Yukina rolled her eyes. "Okay. Silently guard her during her date," she said because she understood why they were worried. "But after this, I won't let you. You need to give her some break."

"How about I give the guy some broken bones?" Yuuzuki suggested wickedly.

"You Uchiha brothers have a sister complex while otousan and chichiue have daughter complex," she teased. Their talk was momentarily suspended to get the crying Haruo from their room where he was peacefully sleeping until now. When she returned to the kitchen with their son in her arms, Yuuzuki was no longer there.

She smiled knowing full well where he was. _In the end you couldn't resist, could you?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Unbeknownst to Miki and her date, five pairs of eyes were more focused on them rather than on the huge screen. At Sasuke's suggestion, the Uchiha males had entered the theater by interval and sat on different areas so as not to draw any attention.

Naruto settled his hand on Sasuke's arm as he tensed the moment Aki leaned forward to whisper something to their daughter. Other than that which happened every now and then, Aki was a gentleman but that wasn't enough to make Miki's family leave.

After the movie, the two went to grab some light snack at a food joint which was popular among teenagers. This time, the Uchiha males preferred to stay outside but they strategically situated themselves where they have the best view of their subject's table.

Coincidentally, Shouhei passed by the place and saw the Uchiha girl just as Aki entered the restroom. His eyes dilated when he saw her in unusual-clothes: knee-length pleated and plaid skirt, boots, a slightly loose long sleeve crochet blouse with a tight camisole that hugged her figure. She even had her hair neatly tied in a ponytail with its end styled in loose curls (courtesy of Yukina) flaunting her cute almost heart-shaped face. And before he knew it, he was inside the place and approaching her.

"Hey," he said, lightly tapping her table. His heart skipped a beat when she focused her attention on him and smiled. She looked even more beautiful up close.

"Hey to you too."

He was about to say something when a stranger at least to him casually seated himself.

"This is Yoshiba, Aki," Miki told him. "Hyuuga, Shouhei."

Both males nodded politely.

Following her urge, she added, "we're dating."

It was obvious but the Hyuuga member nodded as if he didn't know. "I know," he smiled even though his heart was breaking.

"And this won't be the last," Aki arrogantly quipped.

"I know. You two make a lovely couple." _Not_. "Look after my so-called sister," and he affectionately pat her head twice before he made his way to the door.

Miki looked at his back. There was just something about his words and gesture that tug at her heart.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shouhei sighed. In the end, he had forgotten to return Miki's already clean scarf.

_Miki._

He immediately slapped both his cheeks to get himself focus on their incoming mission. On his way to the admin building, he bumped into his cousin.

"Could you give this to Miki?" he asked as he took the scarf wrapped in a special pink plastic from his pocket.

"Why don't you do it?"

"I'm off for a mission."

"What about right after?" the Hyuuga heir countered.

"I'll be busy."

Hisayuki arched an eyebrow then smiled in understanding. For a long time, he was the only one who knew about his cousin's secret affection for the Uchiha girl. And although he and Yuuzuki were best friends he never mentioned anything to the latter who was obviously too protective of his sister. "Y'know where to find me when you need me."

His cousin nodded.

He watched him as he walked away. _To bottle such feelings for a long time and for it to be unrequited, it must be painful beyond words, right?_

The date with Aki was the beginning of her social outings with other boys; of Shouhei's heartaches and the Uchiha males' especially the Uchiha parents' worries.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

That night, Naruto waltzed into Miki's room after knocking and found his daughter giddy. He smiled and acting like he never followed her and her date, he sat on her bed and started asking questions.

"So, how did it go?"

"Better than I expected. We'll be going on another date three days from now."

"What do you think about that Aki-guy?" He asked. He knew the name because Miki had mentioned that to him last night.

"He's cool. He's polite and a gentleman. The way he focuses his attention to me makes me feel like I'm the only one he sees." She then sighed dreamily. "He makes my heart thump crazily. I wonder if this is okay." She then looked at his chichiue who nodded. "Ne, is this how otousan makes you feel?"

The older Uchiha look surprised before he nodded, "Yeah, most of the time when we aren't at each other's throat." And just to make sure that nothing really happened, he asked "so anything worth mentioning? Like did he hold your hand? Did he kiss you?"

Miki blushed and instantly took it as an affirmation until the girl shook her head. "No, we didn't. That would be so awkward. I mean, we just got to know each other. I mean I like him but I'm not so sure if I want him to kiss me or hold my hand."

Her father nodded in agreement. "What are you writing?"

Miki immediately closed her journal, an action that made Naruto understand that she was writing her journal.

"So I was disturbing you then?"

"Not really."

"Then good night, Miki." He paused at the door and said over his shoulder, "I'm glad you had fun."

"Yeah me too. And chichiue?" She looked at him, "thank you for allowing me. Tell Otousan that too."

Naruto nodded and left to his room where his husband was waiting… impatiently.

"And?" Sasuke inquired the second his wife opened the door. He also wanted to make sure that nothing happened.

"They did stuffs."

Dark eyebrows furrowed. "Like what stuffs?"

"They held hands and they even kiss," Naruto said, watching how Sasuke looked ready to kill. He had expected the latter to see through his lies not grabbing his kunai pouch before leaving the room. A second later, the blonde chased after him in the hallway and grabbed him. "Where are you going?" he asked dumbly.

"I'm off for training," Sasuke hissed but his killing aura belied his hidden agendum.

"I was kidding. Nothing happened. Honest." He said in quiet voice. "I was just trying to see how you would react."

Before Sasuke could retort and scold him, Miki's head popped into the hallway. "Is there something wrong?"

Naruto smiled. "Nothing. Otousan just wanted to train."

Miki looked at Sasuke who immediately nodded. Shrugging, she went back to her room.

"Don't ever do that again," the dark-haired man hissed.

The blonde just smiled sheepishly.

**TBC**

* * *

**Next chapter: Sasuke and Naruto had come to another realization and understanding while Yuuzuki and Yukina drifted away from each other in a bang. In the end, was marrying an Uchiha heir a good decision on her part? Yukina wondered.**


	64. 絶壁

**Hello, guys. I hope everyone is doing fine. **

**This chapter is longer than my few previous one so I hope you won't get tired reading this chapter. I also hope you'll enjoy it. Thank you for waiting.**

* * *

**Chapter 64: Discord**

Uchiha Sasuke's glare at his reflection on the mirror, if only possible, was intense enough to break the glass into millions of shards. He couldn't stand it. He hated it in fact. He loathed the glaring fact that he plucked out one of its evidences and he hoped it won't multiply.

When a worried Naruto asked what was upsetting him near ten in the evening, he wordlessly held the answer in front of his wife. Blue eyes crossed as it focused on a white strand between two pale fingers.

"Why would a thread upset you?" the blonde asked in confusion.

"This," the Uchiha started in an annoyed tone, "is my first white hair. And I already have frown lines in my forehead. Not only that but we now have a grandchild and our girl is dating almost everyday."

Naruto was definitely lost. He couldn't make any connection.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, the older man explained. "I'm- I mean, we," he quickly moved his pointer finger between them, "are getting old."

Subconsciously, he didn't want to grow old after marrying Naruto but the events for the past month had caused that particular peeve to slowly rise to the surface. And with the sight of silver strand on his mop of black hair, it finally emerged to his awareness. The reason he never wanted to get old was because it meant one thing: their end is getting closer and he didn't want to get separated from his love. Separation. That was his constant fear.

Understanding dawned on tanned face. Naruto was also scared of being separated from his bastard. Sasuke was constant in his life even when he had defected from the village and the mere thought of them ending always sent him to depression. They were no immortal, he knew and that was more reason why he wanted the power to fight what was inevitable. But one day, he read a book about death ending a life and not relationship and he had been slightly comforted by it and became a little bit less bothered.

He took Sasuke's hands in his. "That means you've spent quite a lot of time with me and putting up with my being a dobe," he told him lightly.

The dark-haired man scowled darkly, thinking that Naruto was joking.

Knowing the reason behind such expression, the blonde continued, "I'm not kidding. I'm looking forward to that time when we'll be counting each other's white hair strands and competing who has more. But for now," he paused to cup Sasuke's face so he would look at him and not at something that was invisible and unpredictable. "For now, look and live for the present because I'm here... you're here. We're here."

Sasuke was touched and he pulled his wife in a tight embrace. "I'll be with you no matter what."

"I'll hold you to that," his wife murmured as he returned the embrace.

For a minute they were like that until Sasuke decided to play the role of a bastard. "Dobe, I'm leading."

"Huh?"

"I got one while you got none. And I heard that it's the symbol of wisdom."

Naruto scowled while his hand moved to deliver an attack which Sasuke gracefully deflected by leaning sideward. Blue eyes clashed against obsidian ones. It was clear that they were itching for a spar.

Sasuke tilted his head and Naruto nodded. In a split of second, they appeared at the Uchiha training ground.

The dark-haired man was about to lit up the torches surrounding the area when the blonde shook his head. "No need. Let's use this," referring to the moonlight filtering through the gaps of trees and their branches. "It's also a practice for our eyes."

"Enough talk, dobe, let's get it on," Sasuke said as he took his stance.

"I hope you're ready for your inevitable defeat, bastard." Naruto suddenly appeared near Sasuke and delivered a full round house kick. Even before Sasuke's brain could register, his hands moved immediately to block the attack. He managed but the force sent him sliding few meters away.

Even before he stopped fully, Sasuke image distorted as he moved quickly. He kicked the blonde's stomach sending him crashing against one tree trunk. Right before his sharingan activated eyes, Naruto transformed into a piece of wood.

Sasuke leapt backward just in time to get away from the kunai that had now pierced where he used to stand a second ago.

A crouching smug Naruto pulled out the weapon and commented mockingly, "it seems wisdom is making you slow."

His opponent growled. And then they were meeting halfway in a fierce blow that upset the soil and leaves close to their feet. They gave at the same time block attacks. For every hit, a mocking look graced their face. For every hit blocked, their eyes glinted with challenge. Adrenaline was flowing through them, hot and raw.

Sasuke gripped Naruto's flying fist, twisted his arm around his back and leaned to whisper. "You're doing poorly."

Naruto shivered as hot breath fanning his sensitive ear and shivered more when he heard that low voice. And he thought that the bastard was trying to distract him through discrete seduction. He decided to play the game as well.

Few seconds later, he managed to pin his opponent to the ground. Hovering above him, he brought their faces closer, their lips almost brushing. "Am I still doing poorly?" he asked smugly because he had broken into Sasuke's tight guard.

Sasuke's eyes dilated at that sexy voice. And he thought Naruto was trying to defeat him through seduction. It was going to be effected, he knew, and he'd be damned if he won't play the dobe's game. Winner takes all and he was going to win. He bucked his hips just as Naruto pressed his against the other man's before the blond put a distance between.

Sasuke flipped to his feet and said, "You're going down." Then he added with mischief in his eyes, "**_hard_**."

They met halfway again. The punches had become caresses in disguise; taunts held promises of mind-blowing pleasure and insults became entendres. It came to a point that they couldn't move without hissing every time their erections painfully brushed against their pants.

Palm against palm they gripped each other's hands trying to push the other. Suddenly, they were whirling around trying to get the other to back down and unfortunately for Naruto he was the one who ended up pressed against the tree, his hands firmly pinned above his head.

"Surrender?" Sasuke asked between pants, his eyes more focused on those parted lips.

Naruto in reply, tilted his chin stubbornly.

"Fool," he hissed before he crashed their lips together and both of them moaned at the contact. Their hands moved but not to deliver punches. Naruto pulled Sasuke closer while the latter attack his pants and boxers simultaneously.

At the contact of Sasuke's hands against his erection no matter how light it was had reduced the blonde into a mass of primal instincts. He bucked his hips while pressing his swollen lips against his lover's sweaty neck.

"Fuck me now." It was an order at the same time a plea and Sasuke obeyed because he was aching too. He was aching to be inside his needy dobe.

He moaned when Naruto opened his pants and took him out. He lifted the blonde's right leg and wrapped it around his waist. The other tanned leg where pants dangled haphazardly soon followed.

Naruto screamed silently, his eyes to the starry sky as his husband drove into him in a single powerful thrust.

"Fuck!" he heard him breathed and he knew that pleasure was coursing in that still clothed body.

Sasuke started moving desperately and feverishly and within few seconds he had established a fast tempo.

Naruto didn't give a damn about his upper clothes being ruined by the rough surface of the tree as his back cruelly rub against it in tune with their frantic meeting of hips. That didn't matter because he got what he needed- Sasuke inside him hot, pulsating, weeping and moving.

The dark-haired man was close to his completion and yet it was evading his grasp making him desperate. "C'mon," he growled. The blonde must had felt that same feeling because he echoed that word- word that became a chant for every slap of their hips; for every flash of bright light they saw behind their eyes.

Like a crashing waterfall, orgasm came to them a moment or two later leaving them breathless and boneless.

Their eyes met and they let out a rich chuckle. However, it wasn't over yet. A minute later, a writhing Naruto had his arms wrapped around the tree trunk, his forehead thumping against it while his flushed body was adjacent to the tree. Behind him was Sasuke eagerly pounding him senseless one hand worrying alternately between two taut nipples while the other was massaging his damp sticky inner thighs. But those weren't the parts the blonde wanted him to touch.

"Touch... m-me," he pleaded but his plea although heard wasn't answered. With a growl that came out as mewl, he grabbed the hand on his thighs and led it around his throbbing and weeping cock. But the hand remained still so he guided it to move up and down. He moaned at the friction which made the man behind him smirk. When he was satisfied with the movement, he let go of the pale hand. But Sasuke had other plans. He grabbed that hand and this time it was him who was guiding it to move.

Naruto knew it was his hand around his erection but it was doing things at Sasuke's guidance and discretion and to him it was erotic. Everything Sasuke did during their foreplay and lovemaking was erotic.

When he thought about that, he wondered why his lust for him hadn't receded at all for all these years but instead increasing. What was with Sasuke that had caused this lustful side? What was in his husband that made him like this? What was in him that was so obsessed with the bastard? He wanted to know. He wanted to understand. He wanted everything to stop so he could search for answers.

Well, everything did stop including his brain as they reached their pinnacle and tumbled over.

A still breathless and dazed Sasuke settled on the grass taking Naruto with him not wanting to break the contact yet.

When they had regained their composure and their breath, Sasuke perched his chin on a shoulder.

"Awhile ago while I was thrusting, you murmured 'stop' over and over again," he began quietly. "What do you mean by that? Did you want me to stop?"

"No," Naruto instantly answered while blushing. "Of course not. It's just that..." _This was so embarrassing_, he thought.

"It's just that what?" the other prodded.

"First it was my love for you that I don't understand and now this."

"This? What this?"

"This that keeps me wanting you as if I'm starved; that keeps us going at it like rabbits or teenagers." Then before he could stop himself he added, "Not that I mind." He tilted his head to look at his spouse, "See? It made me say that. I wish I would know." Then he added softly, "It would be nice to know."

Out of tenderness, Sasuke brushed his lips against his neck. "You're not a thinking person so why start now?"

Instead of a sarcastic or angry comeback, the blonde replied, "Because this is different. Very different. Because this is about you and me. About us."

"If it comforts you, I too don't understand anything between us... everything we created whether unconsciously or not. And I gave up trying." He placed his hands over tanned ones, each finger filling the gaps between Naruto's. "Y'know, there are things that aren't meant to be understood but meant to be felt and savored and I believe this is one of those." He squeezed his hands, "I know you're a person who never quits but just this once, can you give up?"

Naruto looked at their joined hands... their semen-stained hands; his soiled clothing and his still sticky thighs and then he laughed... lightly and warmly. He tilted his head once more, this time landing a butterfly kiss on pale jaws. "You, I mean, we just corrupted the word 'spar'."

And Sasuke joined his laughter knowing his wife had changed the subject not as act of diversion but of acceptance. "There are still a lot of things we can corrupt," he commented playfully.

The blonde just let out another rich chuckle.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Life was unfair and people were traitors, was what she always thought as she walked through the market- Konoha's rumor mill and gossip center. With her head tilted in fake confidence she reminded herself that this was one of the consequences of her decision but it didn't stop her from wanting to hide or from wishing that her husband was with her. With Yuuzuki around, these people wouldn't talk behind her back, unhesitatingly and indiscreetly exchanging comments of her background.

Sometimes, they would point out that Yuuzuki was like Sasuke especially in choosing a spouse who was a nobody. Another would immediately pointed out that Sasuke's wife wasn't a nobody because not only was he a jinchuuriki but also the son of _that_ Yondaime. It was then Yukina would wish that her dead parents were somebody and that his father wasn't just an academy teacher and his daddy a mere prodigy child of _that_ Hatake also known as The White Fang.

Not only was her background the subject of gossips but also her and their child's place in Yuuzuki's priority list. She always ignored those but lately her husband was proving that the gossips were right. She and Haruo were second compared to Miki. Ever since, her sister-in-law started dating, Yuuzuki would always spend a time checking out her date and secretly watching them for a short time no matter how busy he was. Often times, he would even accompany his sister in shopping and once in a while would pay for it.

It took time for her to admit to herself that she was jealous. So jealous that there were times she couldn't even bear to talk with the blonde girl even for awhile. She always felt guilty when she would see her confused and hurt look but she couldn't help it. In her eyes, Miki was unconsciously (or was it consciously?) stealing Yuuzuki from her and Haruo.

She never thought things would turn out like this. While they were dating, everything was fine until they had affixed their signature on their marriage contract. Funny how a piece of paper could change everything.

When Yukina returned home, she was surprised to find Miki looking after her child rather than the babysitter.

Miki looked at her silently, judging her mood. She noticed that lately her sister-in-law was acting strange towards her and Yumiko whom she confided about this development commented that the brunette had bitching mode.

"Welcome home, neesan," she said carefully. "The babysitter went to the manor asking if I could substitute for her because of some emergency. She didn't tell me what kind of emergency but she told me that there was no need for you to pay for today."

Yukina nodded as she started taking care of the groceries. "Your mother is here now, Haruo-chan. Isn't that great?" she heard the younger girl said softly. "Your cute auntie is leaving now."

"Miki," Yukina called out, "let's have snack together."

Sensing that the older woman was in a good mood, she immediately accepted the invitation.

"I heard about your latest date being a disaster," Yukina said.

"The guy was being a jerk," she said. The sixth guy she dated had busy hands and before those hands could grab her chest, she had sent him flying across the ice cream parlor.

"Was that the fifth guy you dated?"

"The sixth guy."

Of course Yukina knew it was the sixth guy because Yuuzuki was keeping tabs. In fact she knew about the guy's profile because somehow Yuuzuki managed to grab hold of it.

Miki leaned forward, "I'm curious…"

Yukina arched an eyebrow.

"How does your first kiss felt like?" the medic-nin blushed as she asked this.

"Wonderful," the other female answered immediately, "because I shared it with someone I love." But it felt like it had been a century ago because things had been simple back then. There was no crowd backbiting about her. There was no girl she was competing for Yuuzuki's attention.

"Did it hurt?"

"Miki, kisses aren't painful unless-"

"I mean the sex," the girl blurted out. Yukina couldn't help but chuckle at the redness of her cheeks. "I read about it in the pocketbooks but sometimes things were exaggerated so I wanted to know. I wanted to ask someone whom I could truly trust."

Before her sister-in-law could answer, they heard Yuuzuki calling out "I'm home."

"I'm going now," Miki said. After asking those questions she was too embarrassed to stay and face her brother. "Thank you for the food."

When Yuuzuki entered the kitchen, he immediately dropped a kiss on Haruo's forehead then on Yukina's forehead. "I saw Miki blushing. What did you two talk about?"

"Girl stuffs," Yukina said as she offered a glass of water to her husband.

"You're not suggesting anything to her, are you?"

Such inquiry hurt Yukina a lot and it was shown with the way she placed the glass on the sink.

"Is there something wrong, Yukina?" Yuuzuki became even more worried when his wife just laughed. "Yukina?" he reached forward but his hand was slapped away. He looked surprised to see tears falling on her cheeks as she laughed.

"Don't touch me," she said harshly. The Uchiha heir wondered what he did wrong.

"You made it sound as if I was the one who started talking about first kiss and sex," she replied between sobs. "I'm tired, Yuuzuki," she confessed. She was tired competing against Miki; she was tired being his wife; she was tired hearing gossips and ignoring them. She was so tired.

"Then let me cook dinner and-"

"No!" she snapped. "I'm tired of all of this shit."

Yuuzuki frowned at that crude word. "What shit, Yukina?" he inquired tersely.

"Choose, Yuuzuki. Me or Miki."

"What?"

"You heard me right. Miki or me."

"What do you mean by that? You're both important to me."

"It doesn't seem that way to me. Miki is more important to you," she accused hysterically. "You always look after her… Always have time for her… always. Why don't you marry her instead or make her your mistress and-"

Yukina grabbed her stinging cheek, eyes full of pain as she looked at her husband who had slapped her a second ago.

"Don't you ever dare address Miki like that. Don't you dare let me hear that once again or…" Yuuzuki growled, his voice dangerous and his eyes cold. Even if she was his wife, she wasn't allowed to say that. Nobody was allowed to say that. She was lucky that she was his wife or she would have received more than a slap.

"You obviously made a choice," She said and with that she took the wailing Haruo and left.

Yuuzuki looked at his hand which he used to slap Yukina. He growled and slammed it on the table. When did life become so complicated? What was wrong with Yukina, anyway? He was so mad and confused that he couldn't even run after Yukina. He needed to cool off.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"What's wrong?" Kakashi blurted out as he opened the door and found both his daughter and grandson crying.

"I need some place to stay," Yukina said.

"Kakashi, who is-" Iruka trailed off at the sight of Yukina. "What's wrong?"

"Not now," she replied as she sat on the couch. "I don't want to talk about it right now."

The two immediately nodded in understanding. "Have Haruo had his milk yet?"

The jounin asked. Yukina could only shake her head. The former grabbed the little Uchiha and started comforting him while he signaled Iruka to prepare milk. It was fortunate that they had milk bottle and Haruo's milk powder in their house.

"Ssh… don't cry, little guy. Your milk will be here any moment."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Hisayuki who was on his way home after his night flirting with few of the village women, looked surprised when he saw Yuuzuki sitting outside the Hyuuga compound.

"What brings you here?" he asked.

"Stuffs."

"C'mon, let's get inside."

The Uchiha heir nodded and followed his friend into his room. Hisayuki left to get some Japanese wine.

"So, Yukina refused to have sex with you or something?" he joked because Yuuzuki was claming up.

"She made me choose between Miki and her. Why would she do that?"

"Jealousy," Hisayuki pointed out intelligently.

"Why would she be? There was no competition. It wasn't as if I was showering Miki with all my affection."

"She's just threatened. Ever since and even now, you always look after Miki. I even wondered how you managed to have a girlfriend." Hisayuki had thought highly of Yukina when he noticed that the girl wasn't complaining about Yuuzuki's protectiveness of his sister but it seemed to him now that she hadn't noticed until now. And when she did, she crumbled. Immediately. Perhaps out of shock or perhaps out of pain. Either way it just proved to him that women were trouble.

Yes, he thought women were troublesome and that was why he only flirted with them, keeping things light and lukewarm. Of course, his flirting had caused embarrassment among the clan members and had complained about it to his parents. His father then got stricter which made their father-son relationship strained. There had been no day that they didn't bicker much to his mother's disappointment. Their relationship would have remained strained if it weren't for his uncle Neji and his family who intervened. Shouhei had told him the sudden change of treatment of his father on him while his uncle and aunt had discussed matters with his own parents.

But that wasn't the end of it. There came a time when the clan members had threatened to disown him. They even requested Hinata and Kiba to do so and if they didn't, they would take it to the hokage. Of course unfazed, Hisayuki told them they could do whatever they wanted but it would be there action that would caused embarrassment on the clan's name and not his. In that end, it had been settled within. He was still the heir and the members just turned their head every time he flirted. Besides, it wasn't like he was sleeping with anyone he flirted. Or he didn't practice safe sex.

"Dammit! Why did things turn out like this?" He heard his friend wondered out loud before the latter emptied his cup with one gulp.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke and Naruto stopped wondering why Yukina hadn't brought Haruo to the manor when a disheveled looking Yuuzuki stumbled into the kitchen and settled in his former seat.

"We had a pretty bad fight," he answered the silent inquiry from his family. "She left. Took our son with her. Probably with father, right now."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Naruto asked worriedly.

Yuuzuki shook his head. "I have a mission today. I have to meet my team soon." He looked at everybody, "I'll handle this on my own. I'll ask for your help when I need it, okay?"

Everybody nodded with understanding especially when it was obvious to them that Yuuzuki was serious of trying to solve his problem by his own.

Forty-fives minutes later, Yuuzuki found refuge from his marital problem in his mission. For once, he had forgotten that he had no wife waiting back at home and no son to play with as he focus on maiming and completing their mission.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Strands of black and silver hair caught the wind as it gently blew. One pale hand reached to tuck the annoying strands behind his ear as he looked at his former mentor.

"So she's safe?" Sasuke asked Kakashi. Both men were leaning against a railway on top of the administration building.

The jounin nodded. "Yeah but she's crying almost non stop."

"She's eating? Is Haruo doing well?" As much as they wanted to look after their grandson, they knew the boy needed his mother more than his father at his age.

"Iruka is forcing her to eat. We're looking after Haruo too because she's incapable of doing it." He looked at his former student and asked, "Did Yuuzuki mention the cause of their fight?"

"No. What about Yukina?"

"She didn't. Like I said, all she does is cry."

Silence dawned on them for a moment or two. Each was on their own thoughts.

"So what are we going to do? Dobe and I had discussed about doing something but I wanted them to fix this on their own. After all, they're no longer kids."

"That's what I'm thinking also but Iruka is stubborn."

"So is Naruto."

They looked at each other and sighed. They had to spend a lot of their time in convincing their respective spouse and failure was not an option. They wished each other good luck before they separated.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yukina was on her bed, blankly staring at the white ceiling as if the universe had stopped moving and time had ceased flowing. Even after two days, it still hurt. Her broken heart never ceased from throbbing in pain. And she was torn between getting angry or relieve that her husband hadn't come for her and demanded her to go home. Perhaps Yuuzuki was as tired as she was and didn't want her anymore. When she thought of this, she started crying again, wetting her still damp cheeks.

Yukina could never remember any situation where she cried harder than this. Every time she thought she was as dry as any dessert, a new set of tears would start flowing. So depressed and wretched was she that she had disregarded Haruo who reminded her too much of the source of these wretched feelings she now felt. She told herself it was fine because her parents understood and was taking care of her little boy.

When Kakashi came home, he found a worried Iruka stepping out from their daughter's room carrying a tray.

"She refused to eat again?" he asked as they entered the kitchen.

"She ate a little."

"And Haruo?"

"He's been a good boy all day and he's sleeping now." He joined his husband on the table and took his hands in his. "Kakashi, we should do something."

His husband sighed. They'd been through this already. "What more can we do, Iruka?" He looked away when his spouse put on that puppy look he learned to master from their certain former student. "We look after Haruo. We let her sulk and cry all she wants. We gave comfort which was turned down or ignored."

Iruka knew his spouse was telling the truth but... "We could talk with Yuu," he suggested.

"Talk what? To take her back? We don't even know their problem and besides he's on a mission."

"I know. Naruto mentioned that to me."

The silver-haired man looked alert. "You guys didn't plan on doing something right?" He watched as his spouse tilted to the left side.

"Who knows..."

"Iruka..." came an exasperated warning. "Let them fix it. Besides we don't know-"

"How can they fix it when they're away from each other?"

Kakashi sighed. Iruka and Naruto were cut from the same cloth. Not only were they pranksters but were dictated by their emotions most of the time. "They don't need someone to pamper them. They're no longer kids. What they need is someone to knock some senses into their heads."

The brunette looked up when the other stood up. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to talk with Yukina."

"Eh?" He went after his suddenly so serious husband. "Wait-"

But Kakashi didn't and he could hear the door being locked. Before he could even demand for the door to be opened, Haruo started wailing. Sighing, Iruka went to his grandson.

Kakashi looked at the pitiful figure completely hidden by the blanket. He should have done this earlier but his emotion as a pampering father had overrode reasons. He took a seat beside the bed and pulled back the blanket to see his daughter's face.

Yukina groaned. "Leave me alone."

"Look at me, Yukina and listen," he said in a voice that brook no disobedience.

The lady followed the order but said, "I don't want to talk about my problems."

Kakashi scowled. Unlike Iruka who was completely oblivious of the cause of their fight, he had assumptions. And for few days he spent his short free time finding out if his assumptions were correct. They were.

"Don't you think you've cried enough? That you've sulk and hid enough? Crying or running away isn't the answer."

Yukina remained quiet.

"Is running away the only thing you're capable of? In a way, you're agreeing with their opinion that you don't deserve to be his wife and an Uchiha member."

"What do you want me to do? What do you expect me to do? What should I do?" she burst out. It was easy to talk when she didn't have to start explaining from the scratch.

"Get up and fight," he answered simply and forcefully. "I know it hurts but it won't stop unless you fight back. Don't leave any regrets."

"It's not simple, daddy," she breathed.

"Nothing is simple especially marrying into a prestigious clan. We thought you were aware of that."

"I miscalculated." She had been foolish thinking there won't be changes between her and Yuuzuki after marriage. She had lulled herself to false security by her husband's vows. She had depended too much on him so when he started failing she too started failing them. Getting into things was simple but getting out wasn't not that she wanted a divorce.

"Now that you know, then correct it. Yuu chose you because you're different from the rest. You're special."

"You're wrong," she half-wailed. She was about to look away but strong fingers gripped her chin.

"Don't be stupid," Kakashi almost snapped. "Who wears his ring? Who's the mother of his child? Who carries his name?"

Yukina answered between sobs.

"Then don't say nonsense things." He patted her head and he stood up. "Iruka and I raised you to be strong and courageous so stop being like this. Remember you also have Haruo's needs to be taken account of." With that, he left her to her thoughts.

Although she didn't want to admit it and preferred to stay cocooned in her bed, she knew her daddy was right. But she'd be damned if she would go back there without her husband coming to fetch her.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Taiyou wasn't much of a drinker but he always preferred to drink until midnight during missions. He'd be in the darkest and farthest corner of any bar, becoming the shadow and totally unseen by the other customers. His drinking session was always spent alone because Yuuzuki preferred to rest while the other two would always passed out two or three hours later with the way they were drinking. But he was thankful for this solitude which he used for reflecting the day's events.

He frowned when he noticed a figure approaching his table then relaxed when he realized it was just his young captain.

"What's wrong?" he finally managed to ask what he and the other two were itching to ask since their current mission started. They had spent a lot of time together as friends and teammates that they were sensitive to each other's vibes and since few days ago their young friend was emitting a negative vibe.

Much to the older man's surprise, Yuuzuki answered.

"Yukina."

"What's with her?"

Without hesitance or reservation, he told Taiyou what happened. Among his three teammates, Taiyou was the most sane and polite enough not to crack green jokes or talk morbid matters. He was the only teammate who was qualified to be called a descent conversation partner except when he was discussing hedonism and aestheticism.

"I don't even know what shit she was talking about. She didn't even tell me. She just went straight to making me choose between her and my sister," he said in a frustrated tone. "What the fuck? Why would I? There was no competition anyway."

Taiyou chuckled at the lad's naïveté and ignorance. While the former was due to his age the latter was due to his position in the village social structure. Either it was out of respect or fear or both, not all rumors especially ones that were related to an affluent family member reach the ears of any clan member.

"Yuu-chama, didn't Yukina-san mentioned any rumors to you?"

"Rumors?" he repeated his brows furrowed.

"Just as I thought, she didn't." Until now he thought his captain's wife did tell him. Wasn't sharing one of the main themes in marriage?

"She didn't what?"

"You're really living in a different world," the older man quipped before he downed one small cup of sake then explained.

"There are comments of how unworthy Yukina-san is to be your wife. Not only because she was an academy teacher but because or mainly because of her lineage. Although these people had tolerated your dating..."

"They should mind their own business," Yuuzuki snarled while clenching his fists. "How come I didn't hear about this?"

"Because nasty rumors and comments involving affluent clan members circulate only among commoners. For our ears only. We never mentioned it to you because we thought she told you."

"She didn't." He looked away, hurt and disappointed because Yukina had kept it a secret. When did they start keeping secrets anyway?

"And her jealousy of Miki came from the comments that Miki is more important to you than your family."

"W-what?" He could feel his chest tightening with different emotions. "That's stupid."

"Tell that to whoever made those comments. But your recent actions seemed to prove this people correct."

"Damn. How stupid can I be?" He had hurt Yukina. He had failed to protect her.

"Yuuchama, I know you're worried about your sister and I know that couldn't be help but you should... er... y'know... because you're a family man now."

"I know." He now knew. He too should make adjustment. Yukina was no longer his girlfriend but his wife. Thus it was only right if he lessened his time with Miki. Besides, there were still four persons who were looking after Miki with some much wariness.

With things clear, he knew what he should do when he returned home- asking Yukina to come back to him and God! he hoped she would.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A less depressed-looking Yukina let out a chuckle as Haruo tried once more to catch her pointer finger and missed. A second later, her boy let out a gurgle. She was about to kiss him when the doorbell rang. "Mommy will be back," she murmured. Her heart felt like leaping from her chest when she opened the door and found her husband or was it going to be former husband very soon?

"Hi," Yuuzuki said in a voice that came as a squeak because of nervousness. And if only they weren't having a couple's spat, they would laugh.

"Hi to you too," Yukina replied indifferently although she wanted to nurse the cut on his forehead.

The worry that had surged within him at her indifference decreased a bit when his wife invited him in. He smiled when he saw Haruo trying to remain seated. When their eyes met, the boy stretched his lillte and plump arms towards him.

The Uchiha heir looked at his wife, silently seeking permission to touch their child.

With her left arm crossed against her chest, she nodded and looked away. "Go ahead. You're his father after all." Yes, Yuuzuki was Haruo's father. Nothing would changed not… not even the outcome of their meeting that day… not even time.

Knowing a perfect opportunity when he sees one, he asked, "Am I still your husband? And I'm not talking about titles here." He picked his boy and carried him in his arms. Haruo became silent as he pressed his head against warm chest, his nostril filled by the scent of his father who he missed so much. And while he savored that moment, seeking blue eyes met with brown ones and locked gazes.

"Yuuzuki," she breathed. There were so many things to say that words were overloading her brain.

His gaze glided to her hand and saw their wedding ring. He slowly reached for that hand. "Yukina..."

"I don't know," she finally answered. She wanted to be with him but she was scared now and that feeling wanted her to never go back to the source of her problems and joys. "There are too many of them. I don't think I could-"

"But you're not alone," he told her almost desperately. "You'll never be alone. I'm here to fight with you; to listen to your silent screams; to wipe away your invisible tears and to suffer with you. There is no need to hide anything from me."

"I know but I have nothing to give you in return. We are a world apart."

"But we already closed that gap. We already built a bridge." And he hoped Yukina would realize that he was on that bridge waiting for her to meet him halfway. There was so much hesitation in her eyes that it was slowly suffocating his heart. "Please. I know the name Uchiha carries too much burden but give me another chance. Just once and if we still fail, I'll be the one to file for divorce anytime of the day."

Yuuzuki looked so desperate and so alone that all of her thoughts of refusal evaporated in a second. Yukina squeezed his hand finally deciding to give them another chance and this time she'd do her best to make it work. She was wiser than yesterday. She'd proved to everyone that she was worthy to be Yuuzuki's. She softly touched his wound on his forehead while saying, "didn't I tell you to be extra careful so you won't make me worry too much."

The Uchiha heir who had reflexively leaned into her touch looked at her trying to confirm if he understood her underlying message correctly.

"Yes, Yuuzuki. Let's do it once more. This time, better than before."

And the happiness he felt for regaining what he lost or almost lost was beyond words. He roughly pulled her to him and fused their lips together for one furious kiss.

"I'm sorry for everything," she said between pants and loud kisses. "Especially for making you choose."

"I'm sorry for making you feel unimportant," he whispered back. "You and Miki are in different plane. You're my wife while she's my sister. Both of you are precious."

"I'll try to remember that."

"You should." And they were kissing again and pulling each other close. When something plump got in the way, it was only then did they remember their child. They pulled away immediately and looked at Haruo who happened to fall asleep peacefully. The two chuckled.

"Why do I get this feeling that he'll be daddy's boy very soon," Yukina commented.

The two waited for Iruka and Kakashi to come home so Yuuzuki could apologize, thank them and assure them that their daughter would be fine. After that, they went to the Uchiha manor so Yukina could apologize for the trouble as well as for making them worry.

"A word with you, Yukina-chan," Naruto said and without waiting for her reaction he left the room expecting her to follow him. She did, leaving Yuuzuki and Sasuke alone.

"Ne, otousan I know that a long time ago many had criticized your choice of spouse. How did you deal with it?" Yuuzuki asked. And that statement alone told Sasuke their situation.

"I'm not affected," he answered truthfully. He believed it was one of those perks of being a bastard. "As long as I know chichiue is perfect for me, I don't give a damn about those."

"But chichiue..."

"He does get affected so it's my job to assure him its fine. You have to find on your own how to assure Yukina. It's all about conviction, Yuu."

"Conviction," he repeated softly. He still had a lot of ways to go as a husband and father but he would certainly improve. And those people who had nothing better to do than criticize Yukina and his choice... well they could all burn in hell. He was happy with what he found in her; was proud with what they had found together and was ecstatic with what they were going to build with their own hands. The path maybe rocky but the goal would be worth it and in the end one day they would laugh triumphantly at all the troubles they had overcome.

In another room, Naruto stood by the window looking outside and behind him stood a very nervous Yukina. She had never seen this very serious side of her father-in-law. So serious was he that in her opinion he looked so fragile.

"Welcome to my world, Yukina," Naruto almost whispered.

"Eh?" What did he mean by that? she wondered.

He looked at her over his shoulder and explained, "With all these gossips, it sucks to be an Uchiha by marriage right?" He laughed when his daughter-in-law stuttered in utmost denial. He turned around and perched his hips against on the window sill. "I felt what you're feeling. In fact, once in awhile, I still feel it." Even after being an Uchiha for many years there were still a remaining few who still disapproved his marriage with Sasuke. And yet some of them would shower their attention on the Uchiha children as if his blood wasn't running through their veins.

When Yukina's eyes met Naruto's, the lady then knew she had found a kindred spirit. "How?" she asked quietly, still embarrassed to admit that what the man said earlier was true.

"Sasuke," was the immediate answer. "Like you, I get easily affected with gossips regarding my marriage no matter how strong I am. But Sasuke is always there to knock some senses into me sometimes literally. And I know Yuuzuki will do the same for you." He paused for a second before adding quickly, "Of course he won't literally knock-"

Yukina had to chuckle, "I know what you mean, chichiue."

The blonde grinned. Unconsciously he started twirling his ring around as he said, "marriage isn't what keeps me with Sasuke. It's our love and his possessiveness. Yuu may not look like it but deep inside he is possessive but not as much as his otousan. You can't escape him even if you want to. Sasuke even our children are scarier than all these worthless criticisms combined."

"I have no plans to flee," she confessed.

"Good." Naruto moved forward to clamp her shoulders in comfort and affection. "Be strong, Yukina because the real fight is not against those people but against your doubts and insecurities."

The brunette nodded. "Thanks, chichiue."

And seeing the determination in her eyes, Naruto was certain that someday Yukina would find out that the joy she would soon have was worth the pain caused by those comments. That realization would be the prize for staying strong against all odds until then he hoped the girl wouldn't crumble beyond repair.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It was almost near ten when Yuuzuki and his family came home. Yukina gently placed Haruo on his crib just few meters from their bed which looked like it had not been slept in for the past few days.

Yuuzuki, seeing the frown on her face said, "I didn't sleep here. It wasn't the same without you." He sat on the bed and with eyes gazing intensely on his wife he asked, "Come to bed with me, my dear wife."

Goosebumps spread through her. She looked at his outstretched hand then at his face and she knew he was already in the middle of their bridge and that he won't walk farther than that. He was just waiting for her to meet him halfway.

Gathering all her courage and confidence from the very core of her soul she walked. And for every step she took, she felt light and felt like she was coming home.

Yuuzuki grinned in relief when his arms wrapped around his love.

_I won't let you go. Never._

**TBC**

* * *

**Looking at the sleeping form of Naruto and Kisho, warmth spread through Jiraiya's body and he laughed. He could only imagine how they would react when they would find their picture included in his novel.**


	65. さらば、師匠

**Hmm... things are a bit quiter around here than usual. I wonder what I should do to liven it up a bit? Anyway, enjoy chapter 65.**

* * *

**Chapter 65: Ashes of a life**

_  
"_Hey idiotic old man," Kisho called out as he let himself in into Jiraiya's apartment.

"Don't call me that!" came the hoarse shout from the bedroom. Kisho grinned. He knew the toad hermit didn't want to be called by that but he did just to irk the latter.

In retaliation, Jiraiya would call him useless brat. But despite the name calling from both sides, they were close. If Naruto was like Jiraiya's son, Kisho was his grandson. He was the one who helped Kisho control his chakra and even helped him create his simple but original techniques.

"Writing that novel again all night?" Kisho asked in annoyance. He didn't mind what the old geezer would write about but he wanted him to rest because deep within him… under his mocking and indifferent façade solely reserved for his teacher, he cared for the old man.

"I'm done. I'll send this to my publisher. This will be my masterpiece," Jiraiya replied proudly, kissing the bound paper in a loud smack.

"Whatever." Then raising the two large bottles he brought, "Got you some good sake."

"And where's that chichiue of yours?" he asked while inserting his work into a brown envelope. "I thought he's going to be here also."

"He will. He's just-" The boy was interrupted by the sound of the front door crashing.

"Spare my door, will ya?" Jiraiya roared as he stepped out from his room. Naruto just grinned at him and took his usual seat on the dinning room. Kisho immediately followed.

Naruto didn't know why but lately, Jiraiya would always invite them to his house for what the toad hermit would refer as 'a little get together between the gods'-gift-to-woman teacher and stupid students' every Thursday night. During those little sessions, Naruto and Jiraiya would drink themselves to oblivion which was impossible for the former because of Kyuubi. And once in awhile, when inhibitions would leave them they would let Kisho drink one or two glasses much to the boy's happiness.

But drinking wasn't the only thing they did. They would use this get together to catch up with each other. It was fun time for the three of them and nobody... nobody except Jiraiya knew that it was going to end soon.

With determination, Jiraiya managed to stay awake and watched father and son sleeping, their faces red. Of course, although he was old the mischief that had been flowing in him since childhood was still there. With a grin and with no guilt or whatsoever, he painted their faces while holding back his laughter. Few minutes later, he stepped back and looked at his work.

Naruto had black stripes on his face and a large X on his nose. Kisho's face looked like a chessboard with X and O filling the little squares. And just as he requested, a photographer came into his house and took picture of the three of them with Jiraiya smiling from ear to ear as if he had found a very precious treasure and he did. His close ties with these two blondes was special too him although he never admitted it to anyone but himself.

"Send that picture to this address," Jiraiya said, thrusting the piece of paper into the photographer's hand together with his payment. After seeing the visitor out, Jiraiya went back to his seat and looked at his two students.

He glanced at the calendar then at the clock then back to those sleeping faces. He smiled before his eyelids fell shut. His last thought was...

It was a good day... A really good one.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho had woken up because of the pain in his neck. Mumbling some incoherent protest, he rolled his head slowly before stretching his arms. Looking around, he noticed that sunlight had now bathed almost half of the dining room and he knew it was almost noon. Unable to ignore the headache lingering near his consciousness he stumbled to the kitchen to prepare hot tea for everyone.

Few minutes later, he awakened his chichiue and thrust the cup into his hands. He then went to do the same to his so-called instructor. Usually Jiraiya was a light sleeper especially compared to his chichiue so when the toad hermit remained asleep, Kisho thought it was just to irk him. Annoyed he none too gently slapped his face. It was only then did he realize Jiraiya's body temperature.

With trembling hands, he cupped painted cheeks before he let his hands crept downward and settled on broad chest, feeling for that telltale sign of life. For the short second that his hands had traveled, his mind had work to pray that it was just a joke and at the same time denying the truth that was waiting to smother him with pain.

Sleepiness left Naruto when he noticed his boy's shoulders were shaking and heard soft sobs.

"What's wrong, Kisho?"

Sobs.

"Kisho?"

"He's gone," the boy finally answered. He couldn't say '_He's dead_' because it was still too early and too raw. He didn't even register the sound of the cup hitting the floor and its shattering as his chichiue dropped the glass.

_Betrayal…_

"Gone?" Naruto echoed quietly, never believing because there was no sign… no foreboding. The old man couldn't just leave that quietly. With tears streaming down his face, the younger Uchiha looked over his shoulder and nodded.

To the older blonde, those tears were all he needed. Even with paints on their faces they could never bring themselves to laugh. He approached his mentor and stared at his corpse, no, his sleeping form. Jiraiya had a small and soft smile on his face. He looked like he was just sleeping deeply so he couldn't be dead, right? RIGHT?!

Naruto glanced at Kisho who was now crying so hard. He wordlessly pulled his child into his arms.

_Loss…_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Two days later, shinobis and few civilians gathered together to witness one of the sannin's cremation. At the side, Tsunade was comforted by Sakura and Shizune. But Kisho who had never lost someone even to death was inconsolable while Naruto on the other hand was beyond that. He just emotionlessly watched as the white flames flared upward and engulfed

Jiraiya. Not once had he shed tear even on that day nor was he tearful. He was just rigid like a stone and as lifeless as any statue.

Days after Jiraiya's burial, Naruto was still emotionally hibernating and mentally absent even during office hours. Most of the time, he'd blankly stare into space. Then five days after Jiraiya's death, Naruto just simply disappeared without trace. Naturally his disappearance sent his bodyguards into frantic searching. The guards visited all the places their ward frequented. They even checked the perimeter around Jiraiya's apartment. When they couldn't find their rokudaime, the head bodyguard had no choice but to alert all ANBU members present in the village. Sasuke was one of them.

Sasuke walked into Jiraiya's apartment even though he had been told that there was no trace of Naruto's chakra. What they didn't know was that Naruto had excellent hiding skills when he didn't want to be found and right now the blonde was using those skills. And although his five senses told him that their missing hokage wasn't inside, Sasuke's heart was telling him otherwise and his heart, after years of marriage with the blonde, couldn't go wrong where his wife was concerned. Just as his heart had told him, Sasuke found Naruto sitting in front of the dining table where two cups and a bottle of Japanese wine were placed.

He let out a sigh of relief to find his wife safe. Using his clone, he informed everyone to cease their search and that he would guard the hokage for the time being.

Smiling, Naruto stood up to get another cup. "Ero-sennin would be pleased at the same time annoyed that you're going to join us," he said.

It was clear to Sasuke that Naruto was still in shock and in denial. A part of him wanted to let Naruto be like that as much as he wanted but he knew that in the long run it won't do him good so even if he would hurt the blonde, he had to do it.

"Dobe-"

"And just to embarrass me, he would ask you questions about our sex life," the younger man continued. "So even if he threatens or bribes you, don't you dare tell him about anything especially how you always make me-"

"Naruto-"

Perhaps Naruto knew what Sasuke was trying to say because words started tumbling from his mouth too quickly. "And don't ever believe what he would tell you during my training with him and-"

Slap!

Confused and pained blue eyes stared at Sasuke while Naruto held his stinging cheek.

Unable to bear the look the blonde was giving him, the ANBU captain pulled him into embrace. "He's dead, Naruto." And his reward for stating the truth was a rough shove and a hard punch that made his head spin.

"What kind of a joke was that, bastard?!" the blonde growled. "Ero-sennin is just on what he called as recon mission. And then he would come home probably disheveled because the women he was spying discovered him. But he would dismiss it as a small price for his cause then he would start showing me his new materials while telling me what I'm missing for marrying a man."

"That's enough, dobe," the Uchiha leader ordered before he lunged forward and delivered a punch. He would beat the truth into him.

There were just pants and grunts as flying fists and legs met their target. And like always, their surrounding disappeared until there were just them fighting for what they believed and trying to make the other accept their opinion.

After a long time of exchanging attacks, they jumped away from each other to put a good distance. Sasuke had blood streaming from his nose while Naruto had his lips bleeding and had a cut on his cheek.

Strangely, Naruto felt his sides being tickled. There was a rumble from his chest and then the next thing he knew he had thrown back his head and laughed. Hard. Hysterically.

"Damn you, ero-sennin!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. His chest constricted causing for his laughter to turn into chuckles then to sobs. He collapsed to the floor too overwhelmed with his grief and loss.

He knew everybody was going to die someday but it still hurt. That knowledge didn't minimize the pain he felt nor lessened the void Jiraiya's death had caused.

Jiraiya.

The toad hermit. The peeping tom. One of the legendary sannin. The pervert. His mentor. His confidante. His father.

Jiraiya had done so many things for him and he never had thanked him once for everything. And now the old man would never know how much he appreciated his efforts and presence in his life. Jiraiya would never know. And that made his death worse.

"No, he knows," Sasuke told him with conviction. Naruto didn't even know when did Sasuke sat near him and held his hand nor was he aware that he had voiced out his regrets.

"How would you know?"

"Because you're easy to read. And he's your mentor and your father aside from Iruka-sensei."

Naruto nodded and continued crying.

_Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei. Sleep well._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"_Didn't I tell you to maintain a particular amount of chakra?" Jiraiya asked without looking from his manuscript._

"_How would you know? You're not even looking at what I'm doing," a very annoyed Kisho retorted. He wondered if his parents were right in asking this man who was just nothing but an old pervert. He wondered if this man was really one of the legendary sannin._

"_Do things right," was the only thing he heard. The old pervert man didn't even dare deny or apologize. So annoyed was the boy that out of wanting to irk the man, he let his chakra flow to Jiraiya's direction. The next thing he knew he was on the ground and Jiraiya was sitting on him._

"_It was an accident," he insisted while squirming trying to throw his so-called mentor off._

_Jiraiya glanced down on him. "That's why I told you-"_

"Kisho?" a familiar voice called bringing him back away from his memory. "Did we make you wait?" Makoto asked his friend who was sorrow personified and he made a note that he would make a painting of Kisho like that.

"No. Shall we go now?" His three friends nodded.

The four of them were asked by the hokage to clean up Jiraiya's apartment and transfer his things to the basement of Uchiha's manor.

Kisho opened the door and walked in. It had been nine days since he had come to this place and his gaze went to the chair where his mentor had died. He frowned when he noticed how the room looked messier than before. There were two or three broken chairs haphazardly gathered in one side of the room. Not only that, but the carpet had blood stains.

"Did somebody sneak in?" Kazushi wondered out loud.

"More like there was a fight," Shigure commented.

"Must be my parents," the blonde muttered. "Let's get this cleaned up."

Two hours later, all of Jiraiya's stuffs were now placed in the boxes ready to be sealed. Most of his stuffs were published books and manuscripts.

"Can't believe he had written this much," Makoto commented, amazed.

"Three of my cousins are die-hard fans of his," Shigure shared. "But their collection isn't complete. Kisho, mind if you-"

"No."

"Did you promise to give them to Hatake-san?"

At this, Kazushi chuckled. "I bet Hatake-san had a complete collection."

Before they could agree, Kisho spoke. And their blond friend's announcement surprised them. "They're mine now. And it doesn't matter if I read them or not."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The finality of Jiraiya's death came two months later when his last novel **Icha Icha Paradise Golden Glory Ultimate Edition** was released to the public, hard bound. On the first page where the summary of the story should be usually found was a handwritten note.

_**To my two students: Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Kisho.**_

Why Jiraiya used 'Uzumaki' was anyone's guess but a lot of his readers believe that the reason was because that was who Naruto was when he first met him.

And on the last page of the book was a picture taken few minutes before the Toad Hermit's death. On it was another note.

_**The cause of my headaches, disappointments and pain. The source of my pride and joy.**_

That was the only novel of Jiraiya that Naruto bought and to top it off he bought two copies - one for his bedroom and the other for his office to be accessed when he would miss the old pervert. Kisho, on the other hand, had placed his copy beneath his pillow.

**TBC**

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And life still goes on... 


	66. 愛してくれる？

**I'll be leaving for Kyoto for this Friday so I won't be able to update until next Tueday thus I'm uploading two chapters. Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 66: Love me**

Yukina knew she shouldn't but couldn't help it. She knew her efforts were uninvited but she didn't want to see her young brother-in-law wasting his youth on getting stronger. Akemi was fifteen years old and his love life was as alive as any concrete. So out of concern, she decided to do something about it even though her husband tried to discourage her.

"Akemi," she exclaimed pleasantly when she found the lad on her back door which led to the kitchen. His dropping by was a perfect timing she thought and mentally smiled.

"Miki asked me to give this to you," he said as he extended a bowl filled with cookies. "She's baking again."

"I see. Come inside. Haruo would be happy to see you." And that was true. For some reasons, her boy preferred Akemi among his aunts and uncles.

Akemi did and stopped when he realized that he wasn't the only guest.

Yukina immediately introduced them and watched closely for any sparks. The sister of her best friend was a head turner and she thought Akemi would be pleased to meet her acquaintance. The lad looked as pleased and interested as a statue. He just bowed his head politely then took his nephew who was squirming in the guest's arms and flailing his arms the moment he saw his uncle.

"Keke," Haruo muttered as his little fist tapped Akemi's nose. If there was one thing Yukina and Yuuzuki was disappointed with their son, it was that his first word was 'Keke' and they didn't know what or who he was referring to until they realized he said that word a lot when Akemi was around.

"Can I take him for a stroll?" Akemi asked and Haruo was nodding his head in agreement.

"Well, he wants you to."

Excusing himself, he left without a second glance on her guest who was obviously very interested with her brother-in-law. Undeniably, her first try was a failure but it didn't deter her. Not yet.

**-SasuNaru is love**

Ayame and Akemi had grown close as years go by. Well as close as acquaintances could be. The girl didn't know when and how but she just woke up one morning with an intense desire to see the young Uchiha. It was on that day when she became another ardent admirer of his and not a fan girl because she never squeal or swoon whenever she saw him nor even stalked him.

But when Akemi didn't refuse to help her carry her luggage upon her request she squealed mentally. She thought such gesture meant something so she was positively glowing as they walked down the street towards the studio where she'd have another photo session.

With hesitation, she shyly placed her hand on his arm. Instantly, Akemi took her hand and she thought he was going to hold it. But to her disappointment, he thrust one of the bags he was carrying into her sly hand.

"Are you sure you really need my help?" the Uchiha boy asked making his female companion blushed in embarrassment. But that didn't discourage her. She was still intent in making him fall in love with her.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

On another street, two friends were walking while eating dango.

"Ne, Shouhei-san, are you avoiding me?" Miki asked what she had been dying to ask for a long time since the Hyuuga member appearance in her life became scarce.

"Of course not," was his immediate answer. "Thanks," he muttered as he took a table napkin from the girl. "A lot of missions were dumped on us not to mention we were sent to two three-month recon mission." And for that he was grateful. At least he had a reason for spending time away from her.

"At least you could have told me."

Before the lad could say something, she added, "You're not mad at me, then?" She just wanted to make sure because... because he was her best sparring partner.

"I wish I could." If there was somebody whom he should get angry at or frustrated, it should be himself. He had been an idiot for liking someone who was five years older than him. Of course, being older, he had decided to let her grow while discretely courting her. He didn't know that his constant presence made Miki treat him with sibling affection later on. Miki had mistaken his gestures of brotherly love. And although lately, he wanted to grab her and confessed his feelings, he didn't want to destroy what he already had with her nor end up like those who she dated. Miki wasn't exactly leading her dates on but they expected too much from her that when she dumped them, they would be at the nadir of depression. He even heard one of them commenting that it was a sudden fall from heaven to hell.

Blond eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded then pouted.

Patting her head lightly he chuckled. "It was a joke, Miki."

And the girl looked relieved. She had missed his companionship so much that it felt like it was too soon when they reached the hospital. "I'll see you ok?" she said with a big smile.

Shouhei nodded and raised his hand in a gesture of goodbye. _You're such a fiend, Miki_, he thought as she made her way into the hospital. _I'm trying to get away but you won't let me. You're insensitive_._ Cruelly so._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Akemi looked over his shoulder to see who was calling his name while hoping it wasn't a mother or an older sister trying to coerce him into dating her daughter or younger sister. And if only he knew what Yukina was up to, he wouldn't be as relieved as when he realized it was just her.

"Can you do me a favor?" Yukina asked as her brother-in-law came up to her. "I know it's sudden but can you deliver this to a friend's house?" And when he arched an eyebrow, she launched into an explanation. "I was supposed to return this book after buying groceries but it's already past three and the baby sitter is just until three today. I could return it to her tomorrow but she needed it today."

"Very well," he replied, took the book and left.

Later when he entered his brother's house to take his nephew for a stroll, he was surprised to find the baby sitter around.

Yukina chuckled as she told him that the baby sitter was forced to cancel her appointment when she didn't arrive on time.

Akemi bowed and apologized to the sitter. "Sorry for causing trouble."

This time it was the sitter who chuckled as she shook her head, her chocolate brown locks flying in every direction. "It's ok. It was just an outing with friends to the nearest village." _I wanted to see you._ "I..."she trailed off realizing that her object of affection had walked past her and was now approaching his nephew. She was disappointed. So was Yukina.

"By the way, Akemi, who received the book?"

"Her sister."

"She has two sisters."

"I didn't ask for her name and I couldn't remember her face," he replied. It was obvious to Yukina that he was uninterested.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki's gaze shifted to the left when she heard laughter ringing from the park. She saw three females and a male. From where she stood, she could still identify the male as Shouhei. Seeing him having so much fun made her smile sadly. Why was she happy and sad at the same time? When her friend draped an arm around one of his companions, Miki knew Kazuo was wrong with his opinion.

"_You and Shouhei-san seemed to be too close for friends," Kazuo commented out of the blue on the day the Hyuuga member joined them to give another expensive scarf before he and Miki talked for five minutes or so then left._

"_What are you talking about?" she said in confusion. For them to have something other than friendship was absurd. At best, they were just siblings._

"_Do you know anyone else who receives presents every time he arrived from his missions other than you?"_

"_Nobody." Then she added, "And don't say we're going to do some investigation."_

"_I won't because there's no one. Really." He grabbed her shoulders. "He likes you and is courting you... discretely." There was so much conviction in his voice that Miki hit his head none-too-gently._

"_You're giving me goose bumps. I wish your boyfriend isn't on mission so you won't have to think such ridiculous things."_

As she resumed walking she was glad that her friend was wrong. Yes, she was glad. Definitely glad. But why does...

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Akemi looked at the girl half-bowing while extending a faintly-scented envelope.

Love letter. His nth love letter.

One would think that by now he was used to refusing letters and invitations but truthfully he wasn't. To him, each time was a first time. Sometimes, Akemi wondered if his otousan or Yuuzuki felt guilty seeing tearful faces or broken-hearted look brought on by their refusal.

"Please read this," the girl said, offering the letter which was her ticket to heaven or hell.

The Uchiha member looked at it but not making the slightest move of taking it.

A letter filled with love. Unrequited love.

"Thank you," he began. "But I don't feel the same way." He inwardly cringed when she straightened and looked at him with hurt in his eyes. Her letter was still thrust forward for him to take if he wishes to.

"Why?"

"Honestly, you're gifted in the beauty and intelligence department but in the shinobi skills you have a lot of ways to go."

"But-"

"I need someone who I can fight with, not fight for. In other words, I need someone whom I don't need to protect." Saying that he left.

The next day, swarms of girls occupied went to the training areas and this time not to gaze at boys but to improve their skills.

That statement had not only inspired kunoichis to improve their skills but had also caused an increase of male admirers because his statement didn't specify the gender of his partner. This wasn't lost on Akemi who for a minute stopped to assess his sexuality. He was never attracted to girls and for a second he thought he was a homosexual. But when he started imagining himself with a boy, his skin crawled in disgust and he decided he wasn't swinging that way. He concluded that he wasn't interested in girls and boys and without further thinking continued on his lonely journey through life.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

For once Akemi ignored Haruo and went straight to his sister-in-law.

"I have known what you've been doing," he said.

Yukina put on her most innocent face. "What?"

"You're setting me up." He smirked at the look of defeat on her face. Did she really think her plan would work? Did she think he won't see through her plan? He had known since step one and was just tolerating her. "As much as it was amusing I no longer have time to humor you." And smugly he said, "You still have a lot of ways to go." And he left.

An hour later, Yuuzuki arrived and took note of the look his wife was wearing. He chuckled.

"He knows from the very beginning," she admitted albeit in embarrassment. She thought... well she thought wrong.

"I told you," he said. "And you lost. I hope you didn't forget our bet."

"I was in a big disadvantage. You knew."

Yuuzuki smirked. "Of course. I'm his brother and we spent a lot of time together. Don't be a sore loser," he added teasingly.

"I'm not. I'm going to pay you in a way you'll never forget." She approached him and whispered something which made his eyes grew wide.

"No kidding?"

Yukina smiled. "I'm almost two months along."

Yuuzuki crouched down to level his gaze with Haruo's. Their child was trying to remain standing by holding the edge of one chair. "You'll be oniisan soon."

And Harou grinned and nodded his head as if he understood.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It was past eleven in the evening when Naruto left home from work. But instead of rushing, he took his time walking letting the silence and stillness of the night calmed his frayed nerves due to work. Up ahead, he saw four silhouettes walking quickly.

Ken, Hiko and Yanagi quickly stepped aside to let the speeding body zoomed past them. For the briefest moment, Naruto felt his chest pressed against Sasuke's back; he even managed to wrap his arms around broad shoulders before he was violently slammed against the nearest wall. Although his back ached from the shove and his view still blurry with pain, he pushed aside the ominous porcelain mask.

"Sasuke," he breathed before their mouths opened and met, their tongues snaking out to tangle and wrestle.

Sasuke's subordinates couldn't take their eyes from the kissing couple even if they wanted to. They had seen a lot of couples making out but the couple in front of them always mesmerized them in a way they couldn't explain. Hiko whistled causing Yanagi to slap his back.

"Captain, we're leaving," Ken said. And the three left without waiting for dismissal or acknowledgement.

Sasuke's mind belatedly registered Ken's words but the captain didn't know that. He raised his hand assuming his subordinates were still there when they weren't.

"You're late," Naruto said between pants as they parted. Sasuke and his team were expected to arrive two days ago but due to some circumstances they got behind schedule. "I missed you."

"Really? Show me."

"Here?" he asked, his hands working on Sasuke's belt already.

Sasuke looked at him with challenge in his eyes. The blonde shook his head. "I don't want to be disturbed by patrol guards."

"I think they would watch us instead of-"

Naruto poofed them to their room.

They hurriedly shed each other's clothes while kissing passionately and urgently. Naruto dropped to his knees and engulfed Sasuke who leaned his forehead against the wall at the heat that surrounded him instantly.

"You're too warm. You're burning me," he whispered while his pale fingers immediately tangled with blond locks, his hips moving instinctively wanting more of that heavenly heat of that sucking and vibration.

"Dobe," he gasped out as felt tongue being pressed against his tip before brushing against the slit. "Dobe, stop." His knees were getting gooey and all his strength was concentrated in thrusting. He couldn't stop so he needed his blonde to stop.

There was desperation in that husky voice that Naruto obeyed. With a loud smack, he extracted Sasuke's cock. He looked up wondering why his spouse wanted him to stop. Didn't he tell him to show how much he missed him? He got his answer when he was hoisted up against the wall and Sasuke slowing slipping into him. He looked over pale shoulder and saw something beautiful- their reflection on the mirror across the room. Or to be exact, Sasuke's back. He had a very good view of Sasuke's back. How many times had he wrapped his arms and legs around this back but never seeing it whenever they made love? Sasuke had a perfect back, the same back that always bear scratch and fingers marks at the end of their activity.

Sasuke wondered what got Naruto to be quiet and harder than before. He followed his gaze then smirk. "Keep your eyes open, dobe," he whispered while nipping his earlobe and moving slowly.

Naruto continued watching and he got more mesmerized when pale hips started moving. The sight was beautiful. Erotically beautiful. Seductively hypnotizing too. And he couldn't help but ran his hands over that smooth plane and felt muscles rippling through.

"Sasuke," he moaned, drawing him deeper, holding him closer. "Don't stop. It's too fucking good."

"I won't, dobe," Sasuke replied with strained voice. Why would he when it felt too good? To be inside and drowned with heat, it was a feeling beyond words. He continued moving bringing them closer to that edge. He groaned as Naruto sunk his teeth into his neck as he came.

After few thrusts, Sasuke emptied himself into Naruto with everything he had.

"I missed you too," he murmured, his heart still beating wildly and pleasure still singeing his veins.

Naruto chuckled, "it's too late to say that, bastard. You already conveyed it." Resting his forehead against one sweaty shoulder, he said, "Up for another round?" And he started moving his hips just to drive his point.

Sasuke chuckled. "You're so horny."

"And you're growing hard inside me, bastard."

"Where?" His dark eyes turning darker while his voice becoming huskier.

Naruto looked around and then mischievously he answered back but not before suggestively plunging his tongue on Sasuke's right ear. "On the table. Take me on the table, Sa-su-ke."

**TBC**

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**coughs Horny Naruto... **


	67. 内緒

**Hello guys. I made you wait for long, right? It's too bad this chapter doesn't contain that much action. Reading your reviews made me happy. Thank you.**

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**Chapter 67: Naisho**

Naruto stood in the middle of the meadow, his hands tucked in his pants pockets. Grass rustled as the wind blew around the place, disrupting the calmness.

"Are you here to plead again?" an arrogant voice asked.

Naruto looked over his shoulder then grinned at the androgynous being that had one hand on his hips. He turned fully around. "You came so that means you're willing to listen again."

"I came because I don't want you to waste your time."

A sad look crossed on whiskered face. "Just one more. This will be the last."

"Funny. Those sentences seemed familiar to me," Kyuubi said with sarcasm then took the pose of one trying to remember. "Now I remember," thumping his palm with his closed hand few seconds later. "That's what you said when you wanted your fourth child."

He ignored his tenant's infuriating sarcasm thinking it would help make his wish come true. "And you agreed after I pleaded."

"And where did it get you now?" Kyuubi demanded. Stupid humans for thinking they could have what they wanted after fervently pleading. He was no god and even gods refused too. He was angry but told himself that it was no use to vent his anger on his container because it was his fault as was the blonde's. He told Naruto he could bear three children only and no twins but... he had given in Naruto's wish in the end.

Naruto shifted his gaze to the ground. He understood his situation but if Kyuubi made it possible for him to give Kisho then-

Kyuubi raised Naruto's chin, "Being my container doesn't make you me. You can only endure so much. For once, stop thinking about your man and think of yourself." Stupid Naruto for falling too deep. Damned him too for being dictated by his emotions most of the time.

"That's impossible! To think of myself is to think of him." The blonde pulled away from him but not too quickly. Kyuubi managed to grab his throat and gripped it with strength to choke him but not enough to strangle him.

"Foolish human," Kyuubi growled and the ground seemed to shake with his anger. "You should know where you begin and that Uchiha ends."

"If that line exists," he replied in a strained voice.

"Do you think he'll want another child when he learns about this? I don't think so." He let go of his container who was immediately busy coughing. "This topic is over," he announced tersely and with finality. And for good measure he kicked Naruto out. The place maybe a part of Naruto's mind but the blonde offered it as his turf so he had the privilege to do anything he wanted even booting his container out.

When Naruto became aware of his surrounding, he found Sasuke staring at him.

"What's wrong?" the Uchiha leader asked feeling the sadness vibrating from him.

"Nothing. It's just Kyuubi being a lousy tenant."

Was that the reason why Naruto had been spacing a lot lately? He couldn't remember Kyuubi and Naruto fighting over something for so long because most of the time the fox demon usually gives in. For Kyuubi to remain steadfast, it- whatever they were arguing over must be something serious. "What's with him anyway? What are you asking from him?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing important."

Doubt flickered in those dark eyes that Naruto decided to do something about it. It wouldn't be good if Sasuke would know of his two dangerous secrets. With that in mind, he pressed his body against his spouse. "Trust me," he murmured before fusing their lips together.

With Naruto around him; above him; beside him and beneath him smiling, laughing, moaning Sasuke immediately believed that everything was alright. And if Itachi was alive he would call him foolish for letting Naruto blind him and for letting his love for the blonde poison his logic.

When Sasuke responded to his kiss and deepened it with his hands sliding under his shirt, Naruto knew he was off the hook. For now.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki finished her food quicker than usual and act which wasn't lost on her current date- Masao.

"After this, would you like to go somewhere else?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Shouhei-san and I agreed to spar by four-thirty."

"And you're running pretty late," he stated coolly.

Once more her head bopped up and down.

"That's why you're eating quicker." He let his irritation be noticed in his voice. To be dismissed because of one promised spar was an injury to his ego. "It seems you're forgetting that you're a girl."

"Meaning?"

"You may be beautiful but that beauty will be exceeded if you spend too much time sparring," he said. "Few years from now, no man would want you. No man would want a female spending too much time sparring and to top it off with a man."

Despite what she was hearing, Miki's smile never faltered. "Thank you for sharing your opinion." She stood up and leaned towards him to whisper sweetly, "and you can take it with you to hell." She walked without glancing back, therefore missing his surprised look. But why would she? She and Masao were over. Period.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Sorry for being late," she greeted as she joined Shouhei on one of the training areas.

"I just got here," he said. He had been few minutes late because his date had asked him to accompany her into buying a gift for her nephew. "So what now? With or without weapons?"

"Without," she replied haughtily making the male chuckle. Both of them took their stance and taking the cry of nearby crow as a signal to start, they lunged forward.

Shouhei noticed that there was something that was bothering Miki. She was smiling but her attacks although they maintained the same intensity were less fluid.

And when Miki whirled around, he felt something wet on his lefty cheek. Water? He thought as he countered another kick. When his eyes fell on Miki's stormy blue eyes, it was only then did he realize that the blonde was crying. "Miki?!"

"Shut up!" she almost shouted. She failed to understand why Masao's words hurt at that moment. The guy didn't know her dreams. The guy was just being a jerk. With a growl, she twisted her body and aimed a kick on her opponent's shin.

Shouhei leaped back and put a good distance between them. It was obvious to him that she was angry and hurt and if he isn't careful, he'd be a punching bag.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked as he leaned back to get away from her fist. He quickly swung his leg upsetting her balance.

She cried out as she hit the ground. In her frustration she uprooted a handful of weeds. She swatted away Shouhei's extended hand and stood up by herself. Before she could lunge another futile attack, she found herself surrounded by arms and pressed against hard chest.

Shouhei expected her to pull away or push him away not to cling to him with her hands tightly gripping the back of his shirt.

"He's a jerk," she whispered between sobs. And a second later, she started telling her friend what happened earlier.

The lad started rubbing her back gently and soothingly. "Don't waste your tears on him. He's a fool." _And I'm twice a fool than he is_.

Miki sniffed, nodded and wiped her tears. "Sorry but I was just so mad."

"It's okay," he replied and let her go. Now that his friend was okay, there was no need to hold her and besides he couldn't trust himself not to blurt his feelings out if she remained in his arms longer.

Miki felt cold and disappointed when Shouhei pulled away from her but she didn't dwell on that feeling. She wanted to spar and spar she would.

The way they exchanged blows, they were like two swords crossing in a clash. With the way they moved, they were like animals- Shouhei with his speed was like a jaguar and Miki with her grace, a swan. And like the animal they represented, Miki was no match for Shouhei who was still holding back but he was doing it not to demean or imply that the girl was weaker than him and Miki knew that. Despite his holding back, his skills were still one or two notches above Miki's so that he could give her challenge so she could grow beautifully like a plant. He may never be her love interest but he'd be a part of her growth. And that was like a consolation prize for a contest he had never participated in.

Miki gasped when a palm hit her stomach so hard she glided on the ground for few steps. She glared at her opponent who smirked and was wriggling his pointer finger arrogantly beckoning her to him.

"If you won't come then I will," she heard him say before he disappeared quietly like an apparition. For once she had to gulp loudly in anticipation and in fear because one more hit and it would be over. Her endurance compared to his was nothing.

She saw a flash of a hand coming towards and she leapt in the air. But Shouhei appeared behind her ready to deliver the last strike. Unfortunately, the girl detected him and quickly twisted around to deliver simultaneous kicks until they landed on the ground. Except when they did, Shouhei realized he was alone and couldn't find her. He grinned knowing she had improved... was improving.

He bowed down when he felt a leg moving to strike him from behind. His eyes widened to see his opponent in front of him crouching and swinging her fist. When did she...? He would have been hit if it wasn't for his instincts which took control of his legs and made them thrust his whole body into the air.

Still crouching, Miki watched as Shouhei performed a triple twist before slowly and gently falling like a leaf. Still suspended in the air and with his confident look never faltering, he looked like someone who was still in control; someone who had the strength to defy gravity. With the setting sun as his backdrop; with sheen of sweat glistening on his skin; with his hair flapping against his face together with his movement and with a smile tugging at his lips, he was manly grace personified. He was charming. He was gorgeous and she...

Miki's eyes widened as she realized that she like him... more than just a friend… more than just a brother. She liked him. For the first time, she liked someone and worse, that someone was treating her like a friend and like a sister at best. She had expected to like one of her admirers and not him. Not Shouhei. She knew liking someone who couldn't return the same feeling was troublesome and vexing and she wasn't ready.

Until now, everything she like, needed and wanted was given to her before she even knew she needed them. She didn't have to work for anything and now this? What was a pampered girl got to do? With panic rising within her, suffocating her, she did what she could only think was right-flee. If it was in a battlefield, she would fight but this was different even the panic she felt was different because it came from the depths of her heart.

When Shouhei landed, he was confused when he realized he was alone. Using byakugan, he searched around but found no trace of her. _What is wrong with you?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho was the one who answered the door to see Shouhei at the doorstep. They exchanged greeting first before Shouhei asked for Miki.

"She's taking a bath," the blonde said.

"I see. Here," he paused to present the kunoichi's weapon pouch. "She left it after disappearing from our spar." Then he handed a box of chocolate and Kisho could tell it was expensive.

"You aren't courting her, are you?" the boy asked.

"If I am, what will you do?"

Tilting his head, the boy answered with a dangerous glint on his dark eyes, "who knows? But accidents happen-"

The Hyuuga member laughed. "I should have included a bouquet if I am, Kisho-kun. Anyway, Miki feels bad about something and I heard chocolates have special power."

Kisho looked at the present. Special power? Aphrodisiac?

As if reading his mind, the older lad said, "No, it isn't." And with that he merged with the shadows.

Since then, both of them were emotionally drifting apart while still remaining friends and spar mates. They never bothered to study what went wrong and why. Instead they wanted to forget their feelings and started dating others. They were stupid to force themselves into being satisfied with their friendship; to think that what the other had was just sibling affection. They were coward for not taking the risk of stepping forward when the door was now opened for them but that kind of fear was part of loving.

**TBC**

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This is more or less like a preview of the things that would soon come over to the Uchiha family. What are the two secrets Naruto is keeping from Sasuke? Would Miki and Shouhei remain as friends forever? Is Akemi really asxual? These questions and more will be answered in the last season of this story. Look forward to it. 


	68. 潮騒

**Sorry for the long wait, guys especially to those who are waiting for Akemi's lovelife to breath a life. I hope you'll enjoy this one. **

**Time skip: 2 years**

**Age update: Yuuzuki is 22, Akemi is 17, Miki is 15, Kisho is 12, Sasu and Naru is around 44 or 45.**

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**Chapter 68: Ripples**

Naruto childishly popped a bite-sized chocolate into his mouth before leaning forward against the railing that surrounded the rooftop of the Hokage tower. He was pleased to see how far Konoha had improved since he was a child.

The walls surrounding the village were thicker and higher and were made with better quality cement. Each guard tower had a good view of the area and a warning system had been installed on each of them. Commercial buildings had increased and although the relaxing ambience of Konoha gave any outsider and any clueless villager an impression that the village would fall easily in case of surprise attack, that wasn't true.

Evacuation center especially located beneath the ground was in top condition and so were the hidden escape paths branching off to the evacuation center as well as to the areas beyond the village. Even the counterattacks and evacuation plans were updated once in two months by their author - Shikamaru.

Everything was ready except for the attackers. If anyone would launch an attack against the village, they'd be in for surprise which would include their death because Konoha was a sleeping tiger ready to kill and destroy when provoke.

Naruto yawned loudly while stretching his arms upward. He flashed a victory sign to the two sculptured faces. "Oyaji, jiisan, everything is fine," he thought. "Konoha is fine because of everybody's efforts."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto stepped into Iruka's house and let his gaze wander off. The walls were littered with pictures of their grandchildren- Haruo who was now three years old and his younger brother Yuuhi who was two years old.

"We've come a long way ne, Iruka-sensei?" he asked as he slid into his favorite seat since he was genin. He murmured a soft 'thanks' before drinking the offered cold water.

"What do you want to eat?" the brunette asked as he opened the refrigerator.

"Ice cream," came the immediate reply. Naruto felt like he was on fire. He felt hot. For the past three days it was so unbearably hot that a lot of people were suffering with heat stroke.

Iruka nodded. Few seconds later, both of them were happily digging in.

"Why does it have to be this hot?" he whined. He felt like melting like ice.

"Sit still, Naruto," Iruka instructed. "If you do, you'd feel comfortable a minute or so."

"How could I when I'm sweating like this?" He took off his hokage robe and strip down to his black half-sleeved shirt. "Can we turn the aircon full blast?"

"It's been in full-blast since few days ago. Just sit still."

Having no choice, the blonde did as he was told but not before pouting. Whatever Iruka wanted to say, it evaporated when he saw blood trickling down from Naruto's nose and dripping to his bowl of ice cream.

"What's wrong?" the blonde asked when he noticed panic making its way on his teacher's face.

"Blood. Your nose is bleeding."

Naruto focus his gaze on his nose but saw nothing. It was only when he brought his fingers to his nose did he believe his teacher. He chuckled. "Yeah, it's bleeding," he agreed calmly that Iruka hit his head while pressing towel to his nose. If it was Kakashi who had his nose bleeding, Iruka would immediately believe that the silver-haired man was thinking of overly perverted thoughts but this was Naruto- his sweet innocent Naruto.

He led the blonde to lean forward so the blood would not go down to his respiratory passage before telling Naruto to pinch his nose for the next fifteen minutes.

"Should I rush you to the hospital?" the older man wondered out loud. "It might be something serious."

"It's just a common nosebleed," Naruto protested to deaf ears.

"Should I get Tsunade-sama?" he asked himself then looked at the blond. "When was your last check-up?"

"Last week and believe me nothing is out of ordinary."

"Continue pinching your nose," he barked.

"I'm home," came the singsong voice from the genkan.

"Welcome home," both males answered.

Worry briefly flashed in Kakashi's face as he saw Naruto holding a bloody towel against his nose with a very worried Iruka fussing over him.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. He just started nose bleeding," came the brunette's reply.

"It's just a nosebleed caused by heat," the blonde argued.

In fairness or to be exact to save himself from Iruka's anger and his ears from the blonde's ear-splitting whine, he took a moment to assess their answers.

Rubbing his throat, he asked, "can you get me a glass of water?"

Throwing a glare over his shoulder, Iruka left for the kitchen.

Kakashi just smiled when his former student gave him a grateful look. And soon and without any intention, Naruto fell into a restless slumber of complex jutsus and chakra equation.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"No... the suke-nin got me," Haruo screeched as Sasuke gently pinned him to the ground.

"Nuke-nin," Sasuke correctly gently.

"Suke-nin," Haruo repeated.

"Nu," Sasuke said putting emphasis on the first syllable.

The boy stared at him for the moment before saying, "Uke-nin." Of course, being a child, Haruo didn't mean anything perverted but it had still completely taken his grandfather off guard. Haruo took that moment to slip from the older man and jumped on his back.

Sasuke 'oof'ed out of surprise rather than of pain at the sudden weight.

"I win," the boy arrogantly declared.

Yuuhi who had been watching the 'battle' and cheering his older brother let out a cry of warning but it was too late. Haruo had been lifted in the air by strong arms. The boy looked down to find his blond grandfather with his blue eyes gleaming in mischief.

"No, I win," Naruto uttered haughtily before sticking his tongue out.

Haruo decided to use the same technique he used on his other grandfather. "Another uke-nin!"

The surprised blonde almost dropped him. He whipped his head to his spouse in inquiry.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders silently saying that it wasn't him.

Naruto focused his gaze back on his first grandchild before he started tickling him. "Nuke-nin. Its nuke-nin." But Haruo was too busy squirming and alternately laughing and screaming that his words didn't reach him. Out of brotherhood, Yuuhi-who had the Uchiha's dark hair and black eyes and Yukina's dimple, joined to help his brother.

Later on, during supper with their parents, Haruo narrated how he and his younger brother defeated two powerful nuke-nin. Yukina nodded and praised their skills while Yuuzuki tried to annoy them by feigning surprise and disbelief.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"You're kidding, right?" Ryouji asked in disbelief. Two days ago, he had asked Akemi to escort an acquaintance to a engagement party and although the Uchiha didn't like parties, he out of friendship had grudgingly agreed to do it. He had never expected that the hokage would give Akemi a mission on his day off. Hokage had the worst timing ever unless... He glared at his friend and in accusing tone he stated, "this is a conspiracy between father and son."

"Don't be an idiot," Akemi retorted. "You thought I want to be assigned on a solo mission that is... " He trailed off after almost blurting out the nature of his mission. He couldn't believe that he was off for an escort mission on his day off. He didn't give a damn that it was a rich lord requesting his service. He didn't understand why a lord would request for an ANBU member and he had a feeling he won't understand even after he read the mission scroll. Just to prove that he wasn't lying, he showed the still sealed mission scroll. "I know its sudden but-"

"Whatever," his friend replied in resignation. "Next time, you won't get away."

Akemi just arched an eyebrow before heading home to prepare himself.

After preparing his travel bag, Akemi read the mission description. It stated that he would bring the daughter of a rich lord to Konoha where she would meet her fiancé - another rich lord who would be coming to the village twelve days from now, for a meeting with the hokage.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After introducing himself and exchanging pleasantries with Lord Sakuma himself, Akemi fell silent. He knew his manners in the presence of any royals. He was not going to speak when not spoken too and it was fine because he didn't like talking. He didn't like the lord and it was obvious that the feeling was mutual.

The young Uchiha never liked the royals. To him, they were just all the same- spoiled people who thought they owned the world and that they existed to spend people's money while being served.

The Lord remained quiet as he quietly observed the very young but talented shinobi. He never liked ninjas because they couldn't be trusted; because they could be bought by money. To him, they were scums of the Earth and as long as they existed as weapons, battles and wars would happen anytime. But for the moment, he needed to hire a very talented ninja to escort his daughter… this was the last thing he'd do for his troublesome daughter. He didn't mind spending a lot of money for the ninja's service because after that he would finally get rid of the source of his embarrassment.

"Let me introduce you to your ward," the lord announced as the door slid open.

With an apathetic respect, Akemi turned towards the door and watched as the girl glided towards her father with a look of disdain. She, the ninja concluded, was somewhere in her late teens probably seventeen and eighteen and judging by her willowy built, it would take nine or ten days to reach Konoha. Akemi mentally sighed. This mission was too troublesome for his own taste.

When the lady looked at him disdainfully he wished he was in that party. He preferred to be in the presence of his admirers rather than of this snob brat.

"This is Chie - the second daughter of my first wife. Please take good care of her," the lord said. The shinobi immediately bowed.

"And this is Akemi. He'll be your guard. Don't give him trouble, understood?"

Chie stiffly nodded her head. "I'd like to leave now, Akemi-san," she said or rather discreetly ordered.

"Your bags, my lady," he asked calmly.

"There already at the place of her fiancé. She only has one bag," a woman whom Akemi guessed was her sister explained. Akemi nodded, stood up to reach for her bag when a hand slapped his away.

"You only touch any of my belongings when I give you permission, understand?"

"Forgive me for my rudeness."

"Make sure you remember it well, mister." And with that she picked her bag and without a glance to her father or sister, haughtily left the room.

"Please take care of her," her sister told Akemi.

"As my hokage ordered me, I'll protect her even at the cost of my life."

Chie didn't miss the shinobi's words and she mentally seethed. All her life she was seen by her family especially her father as a problem and now this stranger saw her as a mission?! Very well, she swore he'd make his time with her a living hell.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Chie-sama, would you like to rest now?" Akemi who was one step behind her as she had ordered to tell her their path and walked behind her at all times, asked. He wasn't asking her out of gallantry but they had been walking for five hours now and they still had a long way to go. It won't be good if this royal brat would collapse.

"Are you tired already?" she sneered. "What kind of shinobi are you? I thought that with my situation otousan would look for someone more talented."

"I was thinking that it would be good if we rest now. We could get-"

"We'll rest when I say so," she said. She just wanted to put as much distance between her country and herself as much as possible. Leaving something she cherished more than her family was difficult and she wanted to stop this desire of running back home.

Akemi was silent and followed her calmly while thinking when did he become a slave of this bitch? Everybody in the village knew the gallant and charming side of Akemi but only very few knew of his nasty streak which was now slowly surfacing so when Chie tripped over and fell to ground, he didn't make any move in helping her. He just continued walking past her- an act that made the lady angrily throw a stone at him.

And for someone who Akemi knew was trained to be a jewelry to be flaunted by her husband, she had a good aim. It would have hit him at the center of the back of his head if his hand didn't move to catch it. He dropped it to the ground and looking over his shoulder he said coolly, "You can try killing me anytime but when I get tired of you, I can kill you in one second."

"Is that a threat?" the lady replied calmly, standing haughtily.

Akemi turned fully around and regarded her dangerously, "No, my lady. It isn't. It's a warning. And in case you don't know, I have your life in my hands. And in case I killed you, I could come up with a perfect cover-up." And he smiled ominously. "Please get that into your empty head."

Chie gasped at the insult and her eyes burned with anger. Females royals like her were trained to be witless dolls to be dressed, flaunted and used by their spouses but she was different. She made herself different… struggled to make herself different and for her escort to put her in the same box with other female royals angered her. "You should know your place and don't forget who I am."

"I couldn't even if I wanted too," he replied. "Now, my lady walk ahead of me or do you want to rest now?"

The lady raised her chin defiantly and walked passed her guard but not before giving him a glare. The shinobi arched an eyebrow not the least bit amused with the bitch.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Akemi whirled around, his hands curled into fists as he realized that Chie was no longer at the place he told her to wait while he went to pick some woods. Where did that bitch go? He wondered. A few seconds of investigation for any trail and then he was running towards the left direction.

After few minutes, he found her sitting on a big boulder near a river. For a second he watched her. Funny, how he felt a tug at the corner of his heart as his eyes watched her almost dejected form. With her leaning slightly forward, her shoulders hunched and her knees pulled to her chest, she didn't look like a spoiled lady.

"Didn't I tell you to wait there?" he asked. He watched as the lady almost jumped from her skin and hurriedly tucked something in her dress. She looked at him over her shoulder and said, "I'll do whatever I want."

He waited for her to walk passed him before gripping her wrist. And for the first time their eyes met… blue orbs against golden hazel ones. "This isn't your turf now. This is wilderness and you're dead if you keep up with that silly attitude."

He looked down when something tumbled from her coat and his eyes landed on a book. Female royals never read most of the time but when they do it would be romantic novels and not something about farm irrigation, right? He gazed down at her in confusion but the girl broke their eye contact, hurriedly picked the book up and walked away. Akemi concluded that his ward was weird.

And his opinion intensified when one day, she had hurriedly lifted her bag, never noticing that it was left unlock. Naturally, all the contents of her bag tumbled, revealing different kinds of books. She hurriedly started collecting them, thrusting them back into her almost empty bag but she wasn't quick enough.

The Uchiha arched his brow, disbelief disrupting his once calm face. He never thought that the contents of her bag were mostly books. He had thought that all of them were full of things royal ladies usually carried not reading materials about medicine, architecture, farming and husbandry. Was this girl insane?

"What are you looking at?" she demanded hotly, her cheeks tinted with red. "Does it hurt your ego that a witless doll knows few things other than was required of her?"

"I'm waiting for you to finish up so we could continue our journey, my lady," he explained. He corrected his opinion. The girl was no witless doll but she was still a pain in the ass and he began to feel sorry for her fiancé.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

On the third day of their journey, they had decided to rest on a cave. Akemi hadn't slept for the past days and dealing with his ward sometimes left him having a migraine. And although his alertness had not faltered, Chie knew that the shinobi was tired. She could feel it. Her experience told her that the man was tired so she had been slightly good towards him but her change of behavior made her guard even more wary.

"Why don't you get some rest?" she asked.

"So you could run away?" he asked cynically.

She shook her head. "You're tired and I don't want to die yet so I want you to get some rest."

"Don't worry. I won't let you die," he said so seriously that it made her feel warm and safe and she shouldn't because she knew what drive him to say that and it was a sad fact. When did her feelings become quick-silver? "Because it's your mission, right?"

And she took his silence as an affirmation. She smiled, "I promise that I won't run away. I'll be here when you wake up." Then added haughtily, "So I could ruin your day."

Akemi chuckled. "Spoiled."

"Whatever. Just sleep before I'll knock you out with my books."

"Why do you have those books?" he asked out of the blue catching her off guard.

"Why would you like to know? It's none of your business," she replied, watching him warily… wondering what made him ask that. And Akemi wished he knew too. "You're weird."

"I guess I am," she agreed in a voice tinged with sadness. She looked away, not wanting to show how close she was crying.

"Weird," Akemi murmured before he had fallen asleep. He didn't know what he was referring too, he was too tired to think and he didn't want to think too much because the person in front of him was giving him the mental rollercoaster ride he had never experienced before.

"You're weird too," she muttered, only to find he was asleep. Unable to sleep, thinking of the dangers lurking outside, she stared at him before she decided to take something out from her bag.

Akemi's consciousness was being poke with the dull scratching sounds and although it was barely audible his experiences told him not to disregard anything so he quickly opened his eyes and pulled on a kunai. His eyes landed on the spot where he had last seen his ward and found it was empty. He whipped his head to the entrance of the cave and found her squatting with her left arm moving. The scratching sound came from her, he realized.

"You didn't run away," he stated coolly.

"Are you disappointed?" she asked but never sparing him a glance. And Akemi approached her and stood behind her wanting to find out what was keeping her occupied. He looked amazed to find the morning scenery provided by sunlight, perfectly and vividly being mirrored on one of the pages of her drawing book. And once again he corrected his opinion of her. The girl was beyond a witless doll… she could never be a witless doll- she was too talented and smart to be called as one. As he watched her hand moved naturally and softly to continue sketching, he wondered what other talents were hidden behind her snobbish attitude. He had this sudden urge of splitting her open just to see what she really was.

"I'm going to prepare breakfast now," he said and she just nodded too occupied to say even one word. And as the shinobi moved around, he missed the small smile gracing her lips.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

On the fourth day of their journey, they felt a sense of foreboding. Akemi was fully alert, his eyes searching for anything that was wrong and Chie was less her bratty and bossy self. For once, she had been obedient and stayed close to his guard.

And what Akemi had been waiting; what Chie had been wishing won't happen, happened- bandits came to ambush them.

With natural grace and practice ease, Akemi moved in front of his ward doing a protective stance. "Stay close with me. Don't do anything reckless." There were twenty or so bandits and just to make sure everything would lead to his victory and just to make the confrontation quick he created his clones. He ordered seven of his clones to get the still strangely calm Chie to a safe place and protect her. With that order issued, he drew his sword and smirked- his nasty side completely surfacing.

Akemi had and would always think that battle was the god of war's endless dance of adrenaline and excitement and as he moved on the ground; leapt from one tree to another, glided over the air; defied gravity, this thought was reaffirmed once more. He liked the way how each confrontation made him feel like a god and all because he knew how to take everything into account in his head and come up with plans to manipulate his enemies in the way he wanted them to.

While in the air, he took a good glance on his ward and realized that his clones were fighting against few bandits and to his surprise his ward was fighting too. But what could a long stick do against a sword? Stupid girl, he thought.

Chie leapt backward in instincts when a sword plunged through her opponent's chest. The man immediately crumpled down to reveal a dark-looking Akemi. She looked behind him and realized all were dead. Was killing always that fast for shinobi? She wondered as deafening silence echoed all over the area. She watched in morbid fascination as her guard flicked the sword once to get rid of the blood. She backed away almost in fear when Akemi plucked the already short stick from her clutches.

"I told you not to do anything reckless," he hissed dangerously. She should be afraid but something in his tone awakened her anger.

"And what? Wait for you to save me? I'm no damsel in distress!"

"This isn't something that you can learn from your books," he retorted angrily because he was scared she'd die. He didn't want her blood staining his hands. She didn't want her death blemishing his perfect record of completed missions.

"I learned archery and wielding with naginata," she informed him just to prove she wasn't helpless. She had been good with archery and wielding naginata that she bested two of her eight brothers in archery and was the best among her sisters in using naginata. But that was because her sisters were never serious about learning how to fight with that weapon unlike her. How many times had she sneak into the training house just to practice and sometimes ended up being caught by her father's royal servants and being punished by her father? Too many to remember.

"Unfortunately, there are no bow and arrows or naginata for you, my lady," Akemi snapped. This girl was seriously cramping his style and upsetting his plans.

"I can see that but I know the basics of confrontation." She just wanted to prove that she was more than just a royal person. She wanted to break free from the stereotype this shinobi had labeled her. She wanted to prove herself. That was her constant struggle in life.

Sighing, Akemi looked at her pointedly never realizing when he had come close to her. "You told me to never forget my position in this arrangement but obviously you're the one who's forgetting your place. I am your guard… ordered to protect you so stop being so immature." And it never crossed his mind that their breaths were mingling until he turned away from her.

Chie looked away when Akemi turned his back. _Why? Why do I always have to see your back?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Ever since the attack, Akemi had been thrice alert. He never went to sleep even when Chie had ordered then finally pleaded him. He didn't need sleep right now. He could sleep as long as he wanted; as much as he wanted when they arrived in Konoha. And although lack of sleep affected one's cognitive capability, he had trained himself to endure more than just five sleepless nights.

His alertness although discreet made Chie nervous. She had studied fighting so she could read the tension of the muscles so easily and besides she had been working at the hospital in one particular village… secretly working because of her father's disapproval.

A clang between two metals made her jumped and she found to see Akemi holding out against another attacker. The man had a long sword while his guard had just a weapon that look like a knife- a ninja's version of knife she guessed. Could he stand against that man with just that weapon?

A curse tumbled from Akemi's when someone zoomed past him. And he knew they were no ordinary bandits. In fact, they weren't bandits in the first place. They were rogue ninjas. And because his hands were full, he couldn't stop the one that slipped past him.

"Run!" he ordered hoping it would save her or at least buy him some time. He prayed that this time his ward would understand the situation or realized who their attackers were. Unfortunately she didn't but the urgency in his voice had given her a hint that they were in a deep trouble. She turned quickly to flee but it seemed everything was moving slow and all sounds were too loud.

Her desperation was showed in her flurry of movements. She didn't want to die. Not yet. Not when she hadn't found herself... her path.

Akemi maintained or increased the force he was exerting against his opponent's sword. Both of them knew that a slight decrease of pressure would result to their death. And although their weapons were pressed against each other in unrelenting might, the two weren't exactly at standstill. Their legs were busy delivering and deflecting kicks.

When the Konoha shinobi saw an opening no matter how small it was, he decided to use it even if there was a slight sacrifice. He leapt away, his blood tainting the grass but he didn't care. Quickly, he executed hand seals for his phoenix flame.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

With her lungs burning painfully due to the lack of oxygen and with her legs close to giving up due to fear and exhaustion, Chie stopped and looked behind her only to find out no one was there. Was she able to shake him with her less than mediocre skills such as leaving a rip patch of her cloth to a tree leading to a different direction? Was she that fortunate?

Except for her heavy breathing, everything around her had fallen silent. There was no breeze or even the slightest sound. It was as if the trees, the animals… every single thing around her was waiting with bated breath for her death. She looked around frantically the thought of her death making her paranoid. But she had forgotten to look above and such mistake was deadly. Even if she did, which she did it wouldn't change her fate because the sight of sword ominously poised to strike her dead had frozen her to the spot. Even if she wanted to move or to struggle, fear and panic had fully gripped her body. And for brief second, her escort's words fleeted to her mind and she felt betrayed. There was nobody who could save her. She was going to die in the wilderness. A pathetic end for a pathetic existence was her thought and a tear rolled over her cheeks.

Just then a blur of black wind interfered her killer. Chie saw how Akemi cut the man into two as easily as a pole and the man's blood fell like rain. Beautifully so as if choreographed by an unseen hand.

A bloody Akemi stood and stared down at her arrogantly as she crumbled to the ground. Is this how a god of death look like? she asked mentally. Arrogant, powerful, strong, collected and so damned cool? From that moment on, Chie silently referred him as god of death... her god of death.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

It was only when they settled at a place away from the battlefield did Chie noticed the long gash across his chest. "You're wounded," she stated as she started digging her bag for her trusty medical kit.

"It's not deep. I'll live," he said truthfully and not because he wanted to sooth her worry.

"Let me treat it." If only to ease the guilt she had for not believing his words.

"That's unnecessary. I'm a fast healer."

Chie shook her head. "Unacceptable. It might get infected," she argued. And then it hit her. "You're scared that I'm going to mess it up." And even though he denied it by just arching an eyebrow, it was true. Akemi didn't want her to take care of his wound. She may had a book about medicine but it didn't mean anything.

The lady moved closer to the Uchiha who pressed harder against the tree he was leaning on. When did he switch from being a predator to prey? He glared at her not to come closer but it was futile.

"Truthfully, I don't have any certificate to practice but believe me when I say I'm more than qualified even if otousama..." she trailed off because even now talking about it made her remember of her unrecognized skills.

There was so much pleading in her golden hazel eyes that he couldn't say anything so he just nodded and obediently help her taking off his flak jacket and shirt.

Quietly and almost in trance-like he watched her hands moved with graceful precision.

"There," she said, softly patting her finish work while trying to stop herself from thinking what it would feel like to be pressed against his chest. "See? It isn't so bad."

Akemi just made a sound in agreement making her laughed and to the Uchiha her laughter was soft and calming like wind chimes.

Once again, their eyes met and Akemi realized she wasn't as strong or as calm as she let on. Lurking at the side of golden hazel orbs were deep-rooted sadness, insecurity, fear, and longing to be comforted. He couldn't understand why he could read so much in her in an instant. Because she was made up of layers upon layers of mystery she didn't make sense even the things she was stirring within him.

Panic rose within her when Akemi's gaze intensified because Chie knew he was searching for her soul and he was cutting her defenses as easily as he killed those men. Without any preamble, she stood up and was about to turn away when a hand gripped her wrist and pulled her to a warm chest.

Akemi was as surprise as Chie or if not more so because until now his actions were well-thought of and planned and not out of impulse. What was wrong with him?

Although she had tried not to she was already at her limit. The toll of the journey itself; the idea with marrying someone; of leaving home was too much. "No more," she cried out. "I was so scared. I thought I was going to die. I don't want to die especially not here."

The shinobi held her tight. "I'm sorry to give you such bad memory but I won't let you die alone... I won't let anyone kill you or lay a finger on you," he swore fiercely. Why? He wanted to know. Why was he saying those things instead of scoffing at her weakness? Why was the urge of protecting her ran too deep in him? What was this ripple that originated from the depth of his soul? So confused was he that he wanted to figure things out and he would start at the source of all of this- Chie.

"If you learned a lot more than what a royal lady should then your place isn't as traditional as we heard it," Akemi said.

"It's more traditional than any outsider think but I wanted to be different... to break away from the monotony of the path set for me. So I learned other things-"

"But your father-"

"He didn't know because I always sneak out but he eventually learned and sent me to another place. There I met a couple. The woman was a village doctor and her husband was a skillful farmer. Otousama didn't know. For four years he didn't because he was too busy and my guardian was kind enough to lie for me." She could still remember her guardian's encouraging smile and his kindness. He had been more of a father to her than her father. "Otousama when he learned about it was enraged. I was brought back to our place and my guardian... he died in an _accident_."

Akemi knew what she meant by that. "I'm sorry," he whispered achingly before he could stop himself.

"I never dwelled too much of his death because I know he wanted me to continue. I tasted what freedom was like and I wanted more. I rebelled a lot something that caused shame on the other royal members." She looked at him, "do you know about the drought that affected the northern parts the Fire country?"

The Uchiha nodded. The drought had devastated a lot of villages' economy but the Fruits village managed to continue their production with an excellent farming irrigation.

He glanced down at her, "Don't tell me..."

"I did it. I came up and designed it. I applied what I learned from that man and from the books that I read. But that's not the only thing."

And he nodded because he was aware that almost a year later, the quality of their products improved so much that the village became the main producer of fruits for royal households near and far.

Gazing at her escort, she knew that he knew so she didn't have to tell him. "But all credits were given to his advisers. And I hate him for that."

Finally, he knew the reason behind the strong and very obvious antagonism she had with her father.

"I'm sure your fiancé," he paused a bit to stop the gentle tug somewhere within him, "would recognize your efforts."

"I'm hoping Lord Miura-" She gasped when he gripped her forearms and pushed her slightly.

"Pardon? Lord Miura?"

"Yes, he's my..." she trailed off, noticing his scowl. "Is there something wrong?"

"Do you have any idea what kind of a man he is?" he hissed. "He's a promiscuous man with enough women to... Why would-"

"Because he's the only one who wants me!" Chie snapped and stood up. "Do you know that as early as fourteen I should be engaged like any female royal and get married at age seventeen or eighteen? But nobody wanted me." She didn't have to tell the man in front of her that five men cancelled their offer of marriage to their family when they knew it would be her they would be marrying. "I'm the only one in the family who isn't engage or married... even my younger sister..." She held her chin up. "Lord Miura is my ticket away from my father. As much as I wanted to run away I'm fully aware of my father's power. He could even hire someone like you to bring me back to him. So even if he is that kind of man... even if I'm not beautiful as his mistresses, I'll find a way to amuse him."

Akemi arched an eyebrow. He had seen few of the lord's women who had discretely offered him a night of pleasure once and he had to agree with his ward. She wasn't as beautiful as those women. Their beauty had been refined and customized for their lord's taste while hers... He hadn't seen a beauty like hers although she looked ordinary – an almost heart-shaped face was framed by shiny jet-black hair that tumbled past her shoulders in loose curls; long curly lashes fanning her golden hazel eyes and lips that were luscious. She looked ordinary and yet attractive in a way Akemi couldn't explain. Did her beauty come from her strength or something else? He couldn't tell.

And hearing her story gave him the privilege to see her and yet he couldn't understand her in a way that he wanted to. It was confusing and he wanted to go back to Konoha where everything made sense at least to him.

He stood up and his eyes met hers. And then he looked away but within the duration their gazes were locked on each other Chie realized he was hiding behind his mask. But before she could ask, he said, "We rested enough. We have three hours to walk before we'll call it a night." And then he took her hand in his.

The compulsory one-step distance Chie had arrogantly ordered Akemi to maintain was gone as they walked side by side. While the shinobi was trying to grasp the reason behind his being out of character, the lady was grappling with her attraction towards her escort. This wasn't supposed to happen. Their time together was short and she wanted to drag this moment to eternity so she could love him with no limit.

She bit her lip in frustration. _Why now? You stupid heart of mine!_

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Although they were seven hours away from their destination, Akemi had noticed that Chie was no longer in a condition to continue for the day so they decided to spend the night at an inn.

After having a very silent meal, both of them went to their respective bedroom. An hour later, Akemi went to her room to make sure everything was okay before going to sleep.

"I thought you're going to sleep," he said as he leaned against the doorway.

"I will. Just few strokes," she replied without taking her gaze away from her sketchbook. "There," she murmured a second or two later. With a soft smile on her face she asked over her shoulder, "aren't you going to look at it?"

Shrugging his shoulders in indifference, he approached her table and accepted the offered sketchbook.

He started looking from the first page. There were works that were done carelessly and hurriedly while there were too which were done with patience, breathtaking vividness and amazing accuracy. He chuckled when he saw a sketch of him sleeping. "I should sue you for this," he said. "Or better yet kill you."

The lady just arched an eyebrow whether in dry amusement or defiance Akemi didn't dwell on it longer to find out. But the next page made him arched an eyebrow. It was him again. And judging from the dark atmosphere being emanated from the picture Akemi knew it was on that time he had saved her from being killed. The next thing he noticed was that there was a shroud of mist behind him and that mist seemed to take a vague form of a body and a scythe. He didn't get the picture until he read the label. "Shinigami?" he repeated.

"You looked like one that time."

And then it hit him. He had been looking for a self-portrait all this time when in a way, the sketchbook was her self-portrait because it painted her thoughts and revealed how she saw things. And if it meant understanding her more, he wanted to go back to the first page but he was itching to see the one she just did. Was it him again? He wanted to know. He flipped the page over and what he saw made his heart swell. It was him again and this time he was standing amidst the falling masks. While his right hand was on his side holding a mask, his left hand was on the act of putting ( or was it taking off) the mask.

"Y'know in our work, we have to wear a mask to hide our identity," Akemi explained, completely misunderstanding the portrait. "But I'm not wearing one."

Chie stood up and her toes were against Akemi's. "But you're still hiding behind it."

"I'm not," he said although he knew it was true. He sucked his breath when the girl moved closer to him and the weird feelings began to stir again. Against his wishes, his eyes landed on moist lips that moved.

"You are." She reached over to wipe the strands of hair that partly covered his beautiful eyes. "You are and you know it too."

He wrapped a hand around hers to stop it from doing anything else and then dropped it although he ached to entwine their hands together. A big part of him made him maintain his professional appearance even under Chie's scrutinizing look.

_Even if it's a crime, I want to snatch a shred of eternity._

And without any warning, she stood on her toes and pressed her lips against her escort's. Her action wasn't just to satisfy her curiosity or to silence the voice within her mind but to confess her still young feelings for the shinobi.

Akemi's eyes had widened at such gestures and he looked at her owlishly the moment she pulled away. He had received pecks from sly fan girls during his early teens when he had been a bit too trusting for his own good so what Chie did wasn't anything new to him and yet… It was completely different. He had heard about how kisses were sweet… he knew about that but knowing and experiencing were two different things, something he didn't know until know. Chie's short kiss was sweeter than he expected a kiss would be and already addicted, he pulled her back to him.

"This is wrong," he murmured against her lips before initiating another kiss. He knew shinobis were discouraged to get involve with their clients but he find it too difficult when Chie was in front of him, looking like what he thought to be a sinful temptation.

"I know," she replied as she settled her hands against his chest. Being inexperienced, their kiss was sloppy but they were intelligent and could easily adapt thus they managed to improve in each second.

"This is wrong," he repeated again. But he was intoxicated to stop wanting; to stop going back for another. "Just one more," he whispered and kissed her again without waiting for her permission.

"One more," Chie said as she pulled Akemi again for another smoldering kiss and it didn't even register to them that they had stumbled on her bed. She moaned when things heated up a notch and their kiss became deeper.

"This will be the last," Akemi whispered before plunging his tongue into the waiting hot cavern and tangled with an eager tongue. It was too good and the feelings that had stirred within him were now fluttering in a very nice way. There was no confusion… no clamor… everything had fallen silent the moment he had swooped down and took her lips. He wanted more of this serenity; more of the pliant body beneath him; more of her warmth and sweetness. Unconsciously, he ran his hands on her sides and even though he said it would be the last, he crashed their lips together again for the nth time.

The loud wailing of a very drunk man at the tavern across their inn jarred them back to the painful reality and to what couldn't… mustn't… shouldn't happen between them. Akemi leapt away from her as if she was fire.

"I'm sorry," Akemi choked out before he hurriedly left the room leaving a dazed, confused and hurt Chie. She threw her arm across her eyes to blot out her tears flowing gently from her eyes. It hurt… her chest was aching too much. She had been rejected a lot by her family members and lords but their rejection didn't hurt as much as the shinobi's.

"Stupid," she whispered to the night before she curled into a ball.

The crisp and fresh air from the night slapped against his heated skin as he burst outside to seek comfort and to run away from the source of his… what? He couldn't put a finger on but it hurt to leave her like that… to leave when he wanted to continue to plunge themselves into an unknown dimension. He continued running until his lungs would burst for the lack of air. He punched one tree, scaring the owl peacefully perching on one of its branches.

He clutched his chest where the ache was greatest. "Aniki," he murmured, hoping he had Yuuzuki beside him to explain things… to break things down to logic when he could no longer do it.

A glistening light caught the corner of his eye and he shifted his gaze and saw a river, its surface calm and glistening under the moonlight. And on impulse, he plunged himself into the cold water in a desperate attempt to numb himself with all the conflicting emotions he felt. He continued holding himself under the surface. With his lungs started burning, Akemi shouted all his frustration into the water.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The next morning they could no longer prolong what they dreaded the most – meeting each other. But contrary to what they were expecting, the other was polite. Both of them were pretending that nothing happened last night because pretension was better and less painful than the discussion; the apologies that would follow and the 'Let's forget about it' deal at end the discussion.

Chie was back to her snobby and bratty attitude while Akemi put on his mask of indifference as he walked behind her. Everything was fine… but not in a way they wanted.

**TBC**

* * *

For me, Akemi is a person who followed the dictates of his mind so when things get too emotional, he is rendered confuse and seeks help from someone who had always help him - Yuuzuki. If you look back, Yuuzuki had always been protective of Akemi and he painted himself as someone Akemi could depend on at all times. And the reason why I'm writing this stuff is because... I dunno. I just feel tired with things and... Anyway, enjoy the next part. 


	69. 潮騒 II

**Ah yes, because the saga that is Akemi's love life has just began.**

* * *

**Chapter 69: Ripples II**

_Home_, Akemi mentally sighed in relief as they stepped into Konoha because home meant comfort zone.

Chie had always believed that the reason behind the rejection was work-related and not because Akemi had a girlfriend until she saw a girl hugging the shinobi in a very affectionate way.

"You're home," Miki said as she hugged her brother and with wide blue eyes, she asked, "Did you get something for me?"

Akemi chuckled something which Chie never heard before. "Unlike Shouhei, I can't bring you presents from every mission. But…" his eyes twinkled as he continued, "I got a gash you can experiment later on."

Miki was ecstatic to hear and her hands were working on his flak jacket.

"Miki, I said later besides I can't go half-naked in public."

The girl pouted, "But imagine the cash I'll reap from your fan girls if you did… the clothes I could buy…"

The older Uchiha rolled his eyes because Miki never paid for her clothes even though she was receiving salary. Her clothes, toiletries… everything she needed and wanted were paid by their parents, or him or Kisho but most of the time their parents.

"Who is she?" Miki asked, finally noticing the other girl, a step behind her brother. She also noticed that she was grimacing.

It was only then did, Akemi remember that he had a companion. "This is Lady Chie- Lord Sakuma's daughter.

"I'm Miki," the girl said and Chie wished she has the speed of a shinobi so she could poke her smiling blue eyes while not being apprehended.

"I'll see you later," Akemi said to his sister. "I'm sorry for my rudeness, Chie-sama," he then bowed, "please allow me to guide you to the hokage tower."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto hummed a tune as he wrote something small on one of the scrolls spread out on his table. Today, he was working on his project he had started three years ago because there was nothing else to do. Well, there were documents stack in the side of his table that needed to be signed but the pile was just one inch thick so he decided to put it off. In his opinion, it was better if he do all things at once.

At the soft rap on his door, Naruto quickly dumped on scrolls into one his drawers and snap it shut so when Akemi came in, his table was empty except for the documents on one side. The younger Uchiha arched an eyebrow when he saw the hokage grinning widely and innocently, his hands clasped together on the top of his spotless table.

"Welcome home," Rokudaime greeted.

The ANBU member bowed respectfully. "Mission accomplished. Report will be turned in two hours from now."

The leader waved his hand in dismissal, "You can turn it in tomorrow if you like. There's no need to hurry."

The lad nodded. "Lord Hokage, let me introduce to you Lady Chie."

Naruto stood up and bowed. Chie too bowed. He may not be a royal member but she understood that in this village, the hokage was on the top of the village social structure. When they straightened, she couldn't help but blush. The man was beautiful. He may be past his 30s or early 40s she couldn't tell but he had a very boyish smile and his blue eyes shined with warmness. His blue eyes were familiar and when she glanced at her escort, she knew why. Akemi had the same blue eyes… the exact color and she immediately believed that they were related. But wait, Akemi had raven hair and not blond hair… the same golden strands his girlfriend had. Then it finally dawned on her as her brain made an association- the girl was Akemi's sister. She was stupid. Really stupid.

"Chie-sama, are you okay?" a concerned Naruto asked.

She nodded, "Just a bit tired. And please call me Chie."

"I know you're tired but it is best to tell you now," Naruto started. "I received a letter from Lord Miura yesterday informing me that they would be arriving this Saturday instead of Thursday because a situation arise that needed his immediate attention."

"I see."

"But no need to worry. He asked me to treat you with utmost kindness and hospitality which I would certainly do so without him even asking." He looked at the wall clock and said, "Why don't you stay at our residence until Lord Miura's arrival? And since its past 6 now, why don't we all go home together?"

She bowed. "I'd be honored."

All throughout, Akemi was emotionless especially when his father invited the lady into their house. As much as he wanted to stay somewhere else, he wouldn't do so because it might alert his family and curious family members were never a good thing especially if one family member would be his chichiue.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When they got home, everything was normal as expected from any family. Miki and Yukina were cooking dinner with their light conversation and laughter drifting away from the kitchen. Kisho was the perfect baby sitter. He entertained his two nephews with his narration of the Kyuubi's attack. With the way he was narrating the event, it was as if he was one of the witnesses and he had the boys' undivided interest and until Akemi walked in and Haruo jumped to greet his very favorite uncle.

Introductions were made between the Uchiha family members and the lady. If there was anything that Chie immediately observed it was that only Miki had blond hair. The rest excluding Yukina had dark-hair and she concluded that the dark locks were inherited from Naruto's wife.

Just a minute before dinner was prepared the two remaining Uchiha members arrived together. Naruto immediately offered them a lukewarm towel to wipe their hands and faces. While Yuuzuki immediately went to greet his children, Sasuke took the offered glass of water from Naruto. Chie immediately labeled Sasuke as Naruto's brother-in-law.

"How was your day, bastard?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Could have been better. Yours?"

"Same old. Same old."

"Really?" Sasuke dipped his head to whisper something to his spouse but before he could say one word, they heard Miki saying in reprimanding voice, "Otousan, don't do that in front of a guest."

Chie owlishly blinked. Did she hear it right? Did Miki really called the dark-haired man 'otousan'?

"What?" Sasuke said in defense. "Can't I whisper something to chichiue?"

"You look like you're…" she trailed off.

"What, Miki?" Yuuzuki asked teasingly.

"Let me introduce you to our guest," Naruto announced. "This is Lady Chie," he said never noticing the wide-eyed expression the lady was wearing. "And this is Yuuzuki my eldest son and Sasuke, my husband."

What? Her mind screamed while her consciousness seemed to drift away from her. It was only then that they noticed her pole-axed expression.

"Your lady," came Akemi's calm voice, "are you okay?"

She snapped out from her state, gave a faltering smile and bowed, "Nice to meet you." She was still so shock that she didn't notice the displeasure that seemed to flow from everyone but the Uchiha grandchildren and Naruto.

Dinner took place and if Chie had still doubts of what she heard, the seating arrangement blew it away. Sasuke was sitting on the head of the table just as any head of the family should and Naruto was on his right- the position of all wives.

After meal, Miki offered to lead Chie to the guestroom.

"How did Naruto-san manage to give birth to you?" she asked, unable to comprehend.

"Chichiue is special," she said, never bothering to expound what made him special because it wasn't the lady's business. "Does it bother you so much?" she asked kindly although her gaze was cold as ice.

"I'm just surprise. For a male to be pregnant…"

"You're not disgusted?"

"No!" she immediately said as she followed Miki inside the room. "I heard about homosexual marriage before but male pregnancy…" she trailed off as it hit her. "Do I look like I was disgusted back there?"

Miki nodded. "But you're not the only one. Some people are disgusted when they see my parents or Yukina's parents. That's why it always irritates us."

Chie immediately made a note to apologize to the couple as soon as possible. "I am just really surprised. And besides I heard about the sole Uchiha survivor getting married but I didn't know who his bride was. I was too engaged with my goals and stuffs that I ignored anything that happened outside my country that doesn't affect my country."

"I see," the girl said. "I'm glad to hear that you aren't because…" she trailed off. "Everything you needed even the towel are in the closet. If you need clothes though, you can borrow from Yukina."

"Thank you."

"Good night."

Chie looked around the huge guest room still in the process of accepting that her love's parents were homosexuals. They were homosexuals and yet they loved each other very much unlike her parents who were forced to marry one another and could only developed a tendré for each other. And recalling at the dinner, the two looked cute when they started calling each other names in an affection laced with irritation and amusement. And for them to raise four kids… to build a very warm and happy family… She sighed, wishing her family was as happy as Akemi's or wishing that she was part of his family. What a wishful thinking.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Since her arrival in Konoha, Chie didn't see Akemi again even his shadow. It was as if he disappeared but sometimes she would hear snatches of conversation about Akemi with everyone else and she wondered if he was avoiding her. It was such a sad thought and it became depressing when she learned that Akemi was popular with the village girls. She wanted to see him and that want intensified even more when her fiancé reached the village. But of course, he immediately went to see the hokage for their meeting, giving Chie the time she needed to prepare because after the meeting they would leave immediately. But there was nothing to prepare so she spent the time walking along the Uchiha gardens.

"Chie," she heard a familiar voice say and she whirled around. It was Akemi and she blushed a bit realizing that the lad called her by her name and without any suffix.

"What?" she asked. And she wished she could tell him she loved him. She wished she would hear him say that he loved her but all he said was, "good luck and congratulations."

She nodded and with a calm composure which she thought was gone said, "Thank you."

"Here's your wedding present," he said, offering a paper bag.

"Lovely!" she said. "You're the first person to give me a wedding present." And she smiled although her heart was aching. She had to smile because she didn't want him to remember her crying.

And without a word and in a blink of an eye, Akemi disappeared. And she knew she'd never see him again. _Good bye, Akemi_.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yuuzuki was a very patient man. Everybody knew that and others believed that his patience knew no limit and right now he was proving them correct. He was drinking with Akemi in the study room of his house. Yuuzuki knew Akemi was not one to drink so when he dropped by and invited his brother to drink with him, the Uchiha heir knew something was off. He became even worried when his brother consumed the alcohol like a very thirsty man drinking water.

But instead of asking directly, he just waited for his little brother to open up. He was going to wait even if it would take him the whole night besides he was just sipping his drink because he had to stay sober when Akemi would start talking.

"Y'know…" Akemi slurred, "Do you think I'm asexual?"

"Yeah, I think you're asexual. All of us think so, I think."

"I think I'm asexual too. I thought I was… until her."

That confession made Yuuzuki sat straighter on his chair. _Her?_ He watched as Akemi poured himself another glass and his hand reached up to tip the bottle back when his glass overflowed. He grabbed some tissue to wipe the table dry.

"But y'know… I hated her. She was snob… arrogant like all her counterparts. But she was hiding a lot… She paints…"

Yuuzuki tapped his chin. He knew few of the girls who liked to paint and some of them were arrogant but who was the one who affected his brother this much? To send him to a drinking session?

"She is talented and intelligent. She is close to being jack of all trades master of none. She knows about farming, husbandry, medicine and so on and so forth."

Yuuzuki frowned wondering if such girl was existing in Konoha or was Akemi too drunk that the girl's talents became muddled with his qualifications and fantasies?

"She even knows archery and naginata."

Okay, there was no one, be it a girl or a boy whose weapon was naginata. He took a gulp from his glass just to stop himself from asking the identity of this person.

"She is strong."

_I need someone who I can fight with, not fight for. In other words, I need someone whom I don't need to protect. _

Yuuzuki remembered that statement that had been whispered from one fan girl to fan girl.

Akemi tightened his hold on his cup. "She is strong. She even recklessly fought against one bandit. She is strong and I hated her because…" He sucked a breath before he continued, "I wanted to fight for her… to protect her… to know that I was the one who save her… I wanted her to feel indebted to me. I w-wanted her to r-remember… the reason why she's still breathing… w-w-why she still sees her reflection in the mirr… mirror." Gazing at his brother with pained-filled and confused eyes, he whispered so softly that Yuuzuki had to lean forward to catch his next words. "I wanted her. I want her… I like her so much. I like Chie, aniki." That confession made things easier for him to bear; easier to understand. He now understood why he had been so mad when he saw her fighting the bandit or why he looked pained when he learned about her fiancé.

And then it finally hit Yuuzuki. All this time he thought it was a local girl but he was wrong. Definitely wrong.

"Aniki, what should I do?" he continued as he buried his face against his arms on the table. "Tell me, aniki," he said because his older brother always helped him even when they were still kids.

But Yuuzuki was at loss of words. Akemi's situation was too hard. He placed a hand on his shoulder and called out quietly, "Akemi. Akemi?"

But the younger boy had already fallen asleep, pain etched on his countenance. "I'm sorry, Akemi. I'm sorry it had to be like this."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Lord Miura stopped in his talk when he noticed that his fiancée was staring up ahead lifelessly and his heart clenched of that memory long buried in his mind. Her expression reminded him too much of his dearest sister who was always staring through the window with an empty smile and sad eyes. The look was the same…

His father was selfish to begin with and never bothered to consider anybody's feelings. He didn't even minded when he broke his daughter's heart after giving her to someone 25 years older than her. In a way, his father killed his sister. And in a way, he too was selfish like his father.

"Did you say something, my lord?" Chie asked, smiling happily causing for the lord to cup her face.

"Forcing yourself to smile would make the pain intensify" he said. He then gave her the reigns of her horse.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Akemi woke up in an unfamiliar bedroom and looking around he realized it was one of the rooms of his brother's house. Sighing and holding his head, he stumbled to the kitchen where a note was plastered on the table beside his breakfast or lunch. It said that Yukina was in the day dare center together with her sons and that he should eat before leaving.

But having no appetite with his headache, he decided to prepare himself a tea. While absent-mindedly sipping his drink, Chie's voice drifted in his head.

_Lord Miura is my ticket away from my father. As much as I wanted to run away I'm fully aware of my father's power. He could even hire someone like you to bring me back to him._

And Akemi came up with a perfect idea that would solve both of their problems. He grabbed a sheet of paper and pen and started writing.

Yuuzuki had left the training area earlier because he was worried of his brother. He stepped inside through the back door just as Akemi closed the front door. He wouldn't have noticed the note on the table if not for the hitae-ate that laid with it.

With slightly trembling fingers, he grabbed three sheets and read it. The first was a resignation letter. One sheet contained Akemi's resignation, the other was a form for a change of residence and the last one was a letter addressed to everyone.

_Everyone,_

_I know this is sudden and would come as a shock to you but I decided to chase after my dreams. Forgive me for the pain that would cause you. Forgive me for the humiliation. _

_From this day forth, I am not a ninja, a Konoha civilian or an Uchiha. Forget me._

Yuuzuki stood rooted to the floor. For Akemi to give up everything… for him to throw everything away without a second thought…

_Akemi…_

Akemi hurriedly walked the ground. The earlier he leave the better. He would chase Lord Miura's party and if needed be kidnap her. He'd tell her that he could be her ticket and more. He'd protect her from the ninjas her father would hire and together they would hide and escape. He knew it would be full of troubles and difficulties but if he had her then it won't matter.

He looked up at the sound of horse hooves and watched in surprise to find Chie jumping from her brown horse and running towards him before collapsing in his arms. She weakly grabbed his shoulders while tears gently flowing on her cheeks. Slowly, they slid to the ground.

"Please… let me stay by your side."

And Akemi embraced her. His chest was so full with a lot of emotions that he could only managed to choke a reply. "Stay as long as you want to." And he never bothered to greet the three guards of Lord Miura who bowed to the lady before leaving to catch up with their lord. Their escort duty was over. They had accompanied Lady Chie to the place she wanted to be as was ordered from them by their master.

The moment Yuuzuki snapped from his shock, he immediately created one clone to inform the hokage while he would run after his foolish brother. He and his clone skidded to a stop when they saw Akemi embracing Chie just few steps away from the gate of the Uchiha compound. Yuuzuki looked at the note he was clutching tightly and smiled.

"I guess this meant nothing," he muttered before he burned it with his flame.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto looked surprised to see Chie in his office with Akemi and Yuuzuki. "What's going on? Did something happened to Lord Miura?" he asked when he saw her tear-stained face.

Chie shook her head. "He cancelled our engagement knowing that I couldn't love him not when…" she trailed off blushing. Naruto looked confused until he noticed Akemi's cheeks tainted with light red.

"What about your father?"

"Lord Miura would inform him as soon as possible. For now, Lord Hokage, please extend your hospitality. I'd leave home as soon as my sister… she'd definitely come here or would send word if it's safe to go back…"

"I don't mind. Please make yourself feel at home," Naruto said. "Yuuzuki, please take Chie back to the house." The captain nodded and led her out.

Akemi uncomfortably shifted his weight from one to another while the silence stretched longer than he wanted to.

"Chichiue…" he pleaded looking at the man who was gazing at him silently.

"Akemi… I'm happy for you but do you know what you guys are stirring up? Lord Sakuma never like a ninja and to know that his daughter is in love with one… to know that she won't be married to a royal blood…"

"I know but… I don't know what I feel for her but I don't want her to go. Surely you understand that." Determination flared in his eyes, "If Lord Sakuma would declare a war against Konoha because of me then I'd leave here but I'd take her with me. I won't give her up."

Naruto leaned back. "Lord Sakuma won't be declaring war against Konoha because he's scared but he might do something else. We should get ready for that. Akemi-"

"I know, chichiue. If anything happens you'll do anything for me even from resigning from your office just to kick somebody's ass."

Naruto nodded and Akemi smiled. "Thank you, chichiue."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke sat on the hokage's desk while tracing the character etched on the hokage's hat. Naruto had immediately summoned his spouse to his office and Sasuke knew it was a personal matter when the blonde placed his hat on the table.

"I see… Trouble is brewing then," he said. He was happy that Akemi was finally interested in someone but… "We have to expect a visit from the lord himself then?"

Naruto nodded. "What worries me would be his actions. It might not only affect our family but the whole Konoha. That would suck big time."

"I know."

"Sasuke… I'm scared for them," he confessed and settled his head on Sasuke's lap. "Very scared. Sometimes, I wish I could just get rid of anything or anyone that would threaten them and their happiness. Do you feel like that too?"

"All the time," Sasuke answered while combing his blond locks. "Naruto, I know you're scared. I'm scared too but let's not act recklessly, okay?" he said quietly and Naruto just nodded.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Just as Sasuke and Naruto predicted, a very angry Lord Sakuma and his eldest daughter came to Konoha two days later. Naruto immediately summoned Chie who, the moment she stepped inside was slap by her father.

"What kind of foolishness is this?" the lord asked in a loud voice. "You bring nothing but shame to your family."

Chie just looked at him proudly. She never explained… She didn't want to explain because her father would never understand much less listen. "You choose a ninja over Lord Miura? How low could you go down?"

At this statement, Naruto and Sasuke frowned.

"Don't judge me by your standards," Chie hissed. "I'll live by my own rules even if it would bring you shame. I wanted to be your daughter not your puppet."

"You could never be my daughter. You'll never be one. From here on, I disown you."

"Otousama!" His eldest daughter exclaimed in surprise. Slight pain flickered on golden hazel eyes but Chie answered, "You just voice out what you had been doing since I was five years old. It wouldn't mean anything to me."

"Wait a minute," Naruto said because it hurt him to see a family being broken. "Please don't do that. Take it back," he calmly said to the lord.

"This isn't your business."

"But you're in front of me… inside my office so anything that happens here is my business and disowning your daughter in front of me is an insult to someone who always believes in family and encourage everyone to cherish their loved ones."

Lord Sakuma sneered. "Forgive my rudeness then but I would never take it back."

"Otousama, can I have a word with Chie, please?"

He would have declined if not for the dark aura the hokage was giving him and if that didn't scare him then it was the glare the Uchiha leader was sending to his direction. "Just hurry up."

Chie led her outside where they could talk without the lord hearing anything.

"Chie… what have you done?" her elder sister asked.

"Something that made your father anger. But that's not something new," she answered with a smile. Her sister smiled sadly.

"I never hated you. Just dislike you because of the strength you have for creating your own path. I wish I have the same strength."

"But aren't you happy, neesan? Or should I say, my lady?"

The older girl slapped her shoulder, "Hearing you addressing me like that is strange. Don't ever call me that. I'll be your sister forever and yes I'm happy. I have to force myself to be happy."

"Do you think okaasan is happy with what I'm doing?"

She nodded, "Yes. If she isn't, that is because she is like me. She doesn't have the same strength that you do." Then she pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll try to write and hope father wouldn't interfere."

"He'd probably do," Chie replied laughing and crying at the same time.

"Then I'll leave it to you to trick him."

The younger girl nodded and grinned, "Leave it to me."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Ino, please guide Chie to the registration office after she fills in this form of transfer and registration," Naruto said.

The blonde nodded and looked over the girl's shoulders to see what she was writing. "You should write your family name."

"I don't have one. I got disowned."

"Oh," Ino's face fell for a second before brightening, "but that gives you the privilege to come up with one."

"Hmm… Do you think Shirakawa is okay?"

"Perfect." Ino then let out a screeched when the girl started copying the address of the Uchiha compound Naruto had written for her. Naruto leaned back when Ino slammed her palms on the desk and leaned forward.

"Are you trying to ruin a girl's reputation by letting her stay in your house?" she demanded.

"Huh?"

"What would people say if they find out that Chie is living together with four men?"

"Nothing is said against Miki," Naruto replied which caused Ino to lean closer while glaring at him for his stupidity.

"Miki is your daughter. Chie isn't." Ino straightened up and waved her hand in the air in a dismissive manner, "Chie, how about you live with us? My husband won't mind and my daughter would be ecstatic."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," Ino assured, "But in exchange you have to work at my mother's flower shop."

"Sounds good to me," she said.

Ino victoriously grinned at Naruto and snatched the pen from his hand causing the hokage to mumble about disrespect.

"Let me write the address for you then."

**TBC**

* * *

The scene with Miki and Akemi shows how much he adores his sister to the point that he even forget his ward who was a royal. A brother and sister bond. I also showed a bond between Akemi and Yuuzuki but no Akemi and Kisho. I just realized that now. Anyway I'll have some Kisho and Akemi moments some time later on.

Akemi now realized his love for Chie but he has not yet made any decision so this sage is not yet ending. However, in the next chapter, I will shift the focus on Kisho and Miki and other things so don't be surprise if you won't see Chie's or Akemi's shadow in the next chapter or two, okay?


	70. 口に出す勇気

**Another chapter for you to enjoy. I know there are a lot of topics I mentioned once then never mentioned again like Naruto's secrets but please don't worry. Those things will be tackled in the right time. **

Thank you for the reviews. Is there anyone who is having a problem uploading files such as .doc, .rtf and .html? Or is it just me? I swear uploading it as .txt and editing it is so troublesome. Oh, I read the main page and learned that the staff is updating the document manager. So troublesome.

**Chapter 70: The dawn of awakening**

* * *

Kisho was Kisho.

Miki with her blond hair and blue eyes could be easy mistaken as Naruto on henge. Despite their blue eyes, Yuuzuki and Akemi with their dark hair could be mistaken for Sasuke especially when their sharingan was activated. And when they were together especially with their crimson eyes, they'd be mistaken for Itachi and Sasuke.

But Kisho was Kisho. He couldn't be mistaken for Sasuke because he was blond and he couldn't be taken as Naruto because he had the Uchiha's mysteriousness and sensuality. He was Naruto and Sasuke's hybrid; a perfect and well-balanced product of traits coming from both sides.

Even at the age of twelve, he has shown his potential to be a prominent playboy. Girls giggled as he walked past them and when he turned to their direction to smile they'd blushed and when he would wink at them they'd swoon. Unlike his otousan and his brothers, he enjoyed the females' attention and sometimes depended on it to grope their butt, caress their chest or stare at them mentally undressing them. More often than not, he couldn't get away from his perverted actions but it didn't deter him the least. He saw as a challenge to improve his skills. There was every reason why he was called little Jiraiya - a name which irritated him because he still had a long way to go to become just like the toad hermit.

Like a celebrity, Kisho waved left and right acknowledging his fans before he stepped inside a particular diner.In there, he looked around until he spotted a mop of black hair sticking out from the farthest booth. As he strutted his way to that area, the dark-haired man raised a hand as if Kisho hadn't spotted him yet.

"Finally, the king of pheromones had arrived," the man said coolly as Kisho took a seat in front of him.

"What can I do for you, Sai-old man?" he asked skipping pleasantries because he knew both of them could live without it.

Sai continued smiling, tolerating the boy's disrespect. Rudeness seemed to run through the family and he wasn't one to enforce respect when he was also rude. He gingerly took a sip of his drink as he let the boy order.

"You got careless again?" the Root leader asked as he noticed the burn on his peeking from his arm warmer.

"Obviously. Got burned from Otousan's chidori current."

"That technique is nasty, no?"

"That's why I'm learning it together with Rasengan." Because unlike his siblings who although they appreciated their parents' techniques were not interested in learning, Kisho was passionate in having those jutsus in his arsenal.

Unmindful of the waitress serving, Sai asked seriously, "You're glowing. Is your penis in a perfect position as you want it to be?"

Such question made everyone within the hearing range choke or blush and the waitress almost dropped her tray. She slightly turned her head to glare at the older man for corrupting the innocent child. She thought he was innocent until…

"Very perfect. Thanks to the lady who pulled me to her very well-endowed chest," Kisho replied in the same serious tone. "It was very soft... softer than my pillow or than loaves of bread."

The older man straightened from his slouching position. "I see and its softness made you hard? I wonder how much you have grown." Tilting his head to the side, he continued, "won't you let me measure it?"

Kisho chuckled. "Sai old man, only females are allowed to measure my penis or do anything they want to." Each words were purred.

Sai's grin became wider, "I could change into a woman." Purring, he added, "What kind of a woman do you want me to be?"

Kisho grinned, "One who could give me the world of pleasure anywhere I want; anytime I want."

The Root leader gave him a look of approval. Judging from the silence ruling over their side, it was obvious that the customers situated on their side of the place had either requested for another table or had quickly ate their food and left. The vulgar conversation had served its purpose- to give them privacy. They knew a lot of places in Konoha that would give them privacy but where was the fun of that?

With them alone, Sai turned serious to start the purpose of their meeting.

"Haven't you decided yet?" he asked.

The teen shrugged his shoulders. "No. I think it's too early for me."

"Early? Your uncle was twelve and so was Yuuzuki-kun when they joined-"

"You have three of us in your forces- otousan and my two brothers. Why would you need me?" he asked. Unlike his friends who had already chosen their path, Kisho hadn't yet decided what to do after becoming chuunin- would he remain as one or aim farther?

"It wouldn't hurt if another one would join."

"It wouldn't hurt if I would join years later."

Sai sighed. "Point taken but it would be better if you hurry up."

"I'll try to keep that in mind."

"You should." The older man thought it would be a waste if his kind of power won't be exploited by the ANBU.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Everybody knew that Shouhei and Miki were closed so when the two together with their dates coincidentally met at the mall, their dates immediately agreed that they all should eat together at the nearby family restaurant.

They seated themselves at a table near the window. Minako- Shouhei's date seek approval from Miki while Shinjo- Miki's date planned to impress Shouhei. After making their orders, the four started conversing naturally as if they had been friends with each other.

"... and it ended like that," Minako said sadly.

"I heard otherwise," Miki chipped in. "Kazuo said that-"

"But Kazuo is a sucker for happy endings," Shouhei interjected.

"As if you aren't," was the blonde's retort making her friend's date arched an eyebrow. Shouhei didn't look like someone like that. What other secrets did Miki know? She wondered.

Before Shinjo could say his piece, his date and Shouhei were now locked on a friendly and teasing matter that left the other two out of the loop. And although Minako always succeeded in her attempts to let herself and Shinjo join in the conversation and the latter trying to maintain the four-way conversation, the talk always managed to become just between Shouhei and Miki. Because the Uchiha girl's date was a hopeless romantic, he stomped and killed any doubts that arose within him.

The look of surprise on their faces had been priceless when their meal was served and Shouhei and Miki were placing their slices of eggplant and okra on each other's plate.

"What are you doing?" Shinjo asked.

"Swapping," his date replied. "Shouhei believed he's allergic to eggplants so he hates them."

"And Miki hates okra and other slimy food."

"Then why did you order those dishes?" Minako inquired with a hint of irritation.

"Because minus these," she paused to reach over to poke a slice of okra innocently lying on her friend's plate, "these dishes are our fave, ne Shouhei-san."

"Definitely," he replied enthusiastically. In chorus they said, "We gratefully partake," before they happily dig in. And their dates could only watch them owlishly. "What are you doing?" the Hyuuga member asked when he noticed his other two companions hadn't started eating. "You should eat too."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto stared at his notes in disbelief. It should be a lie, he told himself. He just couldn't believe that the project he had been working on would end up like this- a failure. Was everything a waste? His commitment, his determination, his efforts of working the project and keeping it a secret from everybody… Were those not enough to yield the result he wanted? The most logical of him nodded. Everything even the result was reasonable because what was at stake was a life and something as precious as life should have a very high price.

"Damn. Dammit. Damn it all to hell!," he growled. The result had melted the rest of determination and blew his remaining commitment leaving him empty and very tired. He knew there was no other way even if he would search for it.

"Give it up, brat."

"But Kyuubi-"

"You're too selfless for your own good."

"But I don't want..." he trailed off when the fox growled. He placed a hand on his stomach feeling it tremble when his tenant growled.

"Forget it."

"But-"

"You had no other choice."

Naruto sighed. His tenant was right. He looked at the scrolls- the proof of his efforts and although he knew he should burn them, he couldn't not after everything he did. Perhaps one day he could bring himself to do so until then he should keep it in a place where it would most likely not be found.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

During their meal, Shinjo had made known that he and Miki had other plans after their get together so when they finished their meal, the couple excused themselves.

"Oh by the way Miki, you have a mission starting tomorrow, right?" Shouhei asked.

"Is there anything you want?" the girl inquired.

Shouhei's lips moved for a wry smile, "you know what I want... always."

A blond eyebrow arched while their eyes met. "Humor me."

"Your safety."

And the smile that Miki gifted the lad made Shinjo blushed and Minako's forehead twitched.

Minako didn't miss the longing that lick at the edges of pale eyes as her date stared at his friend's back until it disappeared into the corner. In an instant, it hit her. She placed a hand on his chest to get his attention. "You... how long? Miki..." she asked brokenly, her breath fanning his face while her eyes were seeking for answers from orbs that became very guarded. Uncomfortably guarded making her realized that Shouhei had too many secrets he kept not only from her but from Miki as well.

The Hyuuga member laughed the inquiry off and before the girl could say anything, he sealed her lips with his.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kazuo, Shuu and Miki were very excited to be teamed again after going on their separate ways after taking exams. And although Mao was being twice sadistic in complaining about this little reunion, deep inside she was happy and proud that they had improved. Watching them as they flawlessly leapt from one tree branch to another while moving in a almost dizzying speed, she knew they were no longer genins.

Suddenly, all of them stopped and crouched almost at the same time when a wisp of blood flooded to their nose.

With the slightest raise of Mao's fingers, they parted from each other and stormed the area from different directions and ten seconds interval. They expected to see an on-going battle not the sight of five bodies burning- the work of a hunter-nin and broken shards of porcelain mask that led to a bloody and almost lifeless figure of a woman slumped against a tree.

Rina was fully aware of the extent of her wounds and knew she won't last long. Instead of agonizing, she decided to gather her remaining chakra and strength to summon a fire that would engulf her body leaving no trace of her existence and clues of her village that could be use as information. She looked at her dead teammates and smiled. Soon, she thought as her hands were about to form the last seal. Suddenly, she felt something gripped both of her wrists. Painfully and tightly. Hands, she realized and she looked up expecting to see death in the eyes of a stranger but all she saw was her reflection on calm emerald orbs.

Shuu's grip tightened as the kunoichi lost her consciousness. He looked at Miki who immediately kneeled to check on her.

"She needs immediate medical attention," she said.

Mao mentally sighed as three pairs of eyes looked at direction waiting for her permission. She immediately nodded knowing that even if she refused they'd go ahead anyway. With Miki her compassion was understandable because she was a medic-nin but Kazuo's and Shuu's?! She rolled her eyes.

"Listen up, guys," she started in a very serious voice. "Only the three of you are my responsibility. And in case that girl would become a threat to any of you, I'd personally get rid of her even if it means killing her. Clear?"

"Crystal," they all chorused.

Mao pouted darkly, not pleased with how things had turned out between her and her team. She had recalled that during the first time she met them, she had sworn that she would stripped their masks off but in the end, it was them who was unconsciously stripping her apathetic mask to reveal her soft side. Damn.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Rina awakened to the crackling sound of campfire and tensed when a hand settled on her right arm.

"It's okay," Miki said softly. "You're in good hands."

The pearly-white haired kunoichi immediately identified the symbol on the blonde's hitae-ate and smiled.

"Your name and affiliation please," the blonde continued. Few paces away, Mao, Shuu and Kazuo sat in what could be a relaxed position but their muscles were tensed enough to fight if the girl was an enemy. Mao was watching her facial movements and reaction that would give her away if she was lying. Kazuo and Shuu were holding a kunai behind their back.

"Rina Omura of Waterfall village. Vice-captain of the squad that had been wiped out few hours ago, I think."

"Two days ago," the blond kunoichi corrected. "You'd been asleep for two days."

She just nodded. With no other means of confirming her affiliation and identity other than the fact that her profile wasn't found in the latest issue of the bingo book, Mao's team had no choice but to believe her.

Shuu led her closer to the small bonfire while Kazuo offered to her a bowl of stew.

"We sent word to your village informing of your condition," Mao told her. And tilted her head backward as she added matter-of-factly, "your kage won't send a medic-nin though after knowing our team has one."

"I know," she uttered and with the look the Konoha jounin was giving her, she knew they're waiting for details of what happened two days ago. And between feeding herself with the tasty stew, she did.

"Heard of Black Hawk?"

While Mao nodded, her subordinates shook their heads.

"He was one of the best jounins we have. His name is Ryouji but five Months after his defection with other seven shinobis he became known among missing-nin as black hawk." She paused to offer her empty bowl, silently asking for another serving.

"Two days ago, we heard about their group's location and we immediately went there after planning. But unfortunately, Ryouji wasn't there. It was just four of his members. We engaged in a battle that left my two teammates and three missing-nin dead. The other got away and probably informed Ryouji with the incident."

"My team and I are on a mission to your village. We're two days late-"

"Sorry for the trouble…"

Mao nodded at the apology, "Our medic-nin informed us that for the meantime you're prohibited from doing strenuous job so we decided to bring you with us, if you like."

Rina chuckled as she looked at her body, taking in the bandages wrapped around it, "What choice do I have?"

"I'm Mao, team leader. This is Kazuo, Shuu and Miki."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki had always been surrounded with males since birth- her family was composed of males: she spent her genin days with boys and her sparring mates are males. And despite what a lot of people believed, she didn't end up as a tomboy or a lesbian but her exposure to male presence had caused a insatiable need for female companionship within her. So when Rina joined them in their journey, the two immediately became fast friends – a not so surprising turn of events because both girls had pleasant personality and aggressive streak. To Miki, Rina was like her long lost older sister. She was different from Yukina. With her sister-in law, she had to give Yukina the respect due to her as an older sister but with Rina… there was nothing to hold back.

Rina groaned, "So basically you're a player." Her voice echoing all over the onsen place but there was nothing to worry because it was just her and Miki. Mao was still in the bar enjoying fine wine while the boys were at hot spring for boys.

"Of course not," Miki said.

"But you date them, raising their hopes and then drop them off. Man, it sucks to be your date," Rina continued. The blonde pressed her back against the stone when the older girl moved close. "Did you date any of your teammates?"

The medic-nin scrunched her nose, "For your information, they're a couple."

"Really? They don't look like one."

"They normally don't but when things get hot between them… they're hot."

Rina threw her head back to laugh, "You're a pervert."

"I'm not!" Miki retorted hotly before pouting. Few strands of hair plastering on the side of the hunter-nin's face took her attention and she reached out to stroke it. "I like your hair. It's like a thread of pearls."

A flicker of pain lit Rina's ruby eyes, "He used to say that. He always liked my hair."

"He?"

"Taichi- my longtime love."

The past tense the hunter-nin used wasn't missed by Miki who asked quietly, "Is he dead?"

"Yeah… he died."

"How?"

But Rina had moved away from her and turned her back. It was obvious that his death was still a painful subject for her and Miki decided not to broach it. She immediately switched to a light topic.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Send my regards to your hokage," the village leader said as he handed the scroll now bearing his sign to Mao. The team bowed and then left.

"What are you doing here?" Shuu asked as they spotted Rina leaning against the gate of the village.

"I'm off as a one-man team," Rina said nonchalantly. "I went to the hospital after speaking with leader and three doctors told me I'm okay now. The medical attention I received was excellent." She looked at Miki who blushed immediately. "I'll be walking with you until I reach the border."

-SasuNaru is love-

"Boring," a man wearing a blue mask complained loudly as he childishly dangled his legs from the branch he was sitting. "What time did Black Hawk said say he's going to join us?"

"Past two," replied the red-masked female.

"It's already three!"

"That's still past two," a black-masked man stated smartly which made the other man growl.

"Will you two calm down," a green-mask man asked flamboyantly while inspecting his well-manicured fingernails.

The four of them tensed when they felt chakra coming from another direction.  
"Cool. Enemies," Blue said as he failed to recognize the chakra signatures. He stood up and drew his kunai. "I'm going to have fun."

"Aren't you going to stop him, Red?"

Red sighed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I don't have any plans on stopping him. Truthfully, I'm bored too!"

Green sighed as Red and Black joined Blue. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," he muttered as his hands moved to form seals.

Mao's team stopped the moment they noticed the deafening silence that gripped the place. With their muscles tense, they looked around them. They knew someone was there watching them but they could not pinpoint their exact location.

Green's mouth moved as he silently mouthed the name of his technique that would use the dampness of the air.

The Konoha ninjas on instinct moved, flexed and bent their limbs as easily and naturally as any reptile. If Mao wasn't busy evading the needles made of water, she would be gloating knowing that her rain of shuriken training really paid off not only for her but for her team as well.

In a show of amazement laced with irritation, Green arched an eyebrow while Blue whistled. The latter knew a worthy enemy when he saw one. He propelled himself away from the tree and turned three hundred sixty degrees.

The second the needle shower seemed to slow down all of them leapt away and separated from each other.

Mao, Shuu, Kazuo and Miki were against Blue, Black, Green and Red respectively.

Shuu mirrored Black's smirk as they meet in the middle, fists pressed against one another.

"You're good," Black said.

"I'd get better a minute later."

The missing-nin looked insulted with the other's confidence that bordered near arrogance and he showered the lad with both taijutsu and ninjutsus.

"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu" Green said in a singsong voice and a second later a water dragon rose up into the air and paused a brief second before crushing downward.

"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu"Kazuo said. The flame dragon rushed and collided with its water counterpart causing a hissing sound as water evaporated too quickly. Kazuo lunged forward then duck to avoid three shuriken and five kunai. He bowed forward as the weapons retraced their path like boomerangs but he had been a bit late as one sharp point of one shuriken scratched his left cheek.

Green caught all his weapons with an added unnecessary flourish of body movements. He licked the slightly bloody part of one of his weapons and grinned even though it was just a small taste of his addiction. He really loved blood especially of young man and it would be a bonus if such young man would be a virgin. Unfortunately, his opponent was no longer one. His observant eyes could tell who was inexperienced and not by their movements alone.

Kazuo cringed when something wet slid against his ear and he swung his armed hand when he felt a presence behind his back a second later.

Green chuckled as he appeared few meters away from the irritated shinobi. "You look good and taste even better," he complimented. He could feel his body trembling with anticipation for the moment that he'd lick the lad's blood from his body until he would be satisfied.

"I'm so gonna kill you, you fucking asshole!"

The missing-nin spread his arms wide and shrugged. "You can try," he said as a plan formulated in his mind. Indulge in grope fest then satisfy hunger with the feast that would soon follow. Perfect.

Mao growled as her opponent's scimitar made a long gash on her jeans and scratched a thigh creating a red line.

"Tasty thigh," Blue said, never bothering to hide the drool he was having.

"Too bad I'm owned," she said haughtily. "Not that I'll let you touch me in anyway," she continued as she appeared behind his back so quickly that it had surprised the man. Mao snorted displeased when her opponent who had two kunais sticking into his body turned into a tree. She smirked knowing he was above her. Although the man had concealed his chakra excellently, the Konoha kunoichi detected his presence by the distortion of the air.

"Die, bitch!" Blue said, victory in his eyes because he thought surprise and fear would grip his opponent in place and all she could do was pray that her death was painless. Simple... too simple.

Just as he guessed, Mao remained still and in the last second moved to flick the missing-nin as easily as one would flick an insect.

Caught off guard, Blue couldn't stop his sailing to the tree and smashed against it.

He gingerly stood up, massaging his aching body. "Fuck! That hurts!"

"It was planned to hurt, simpleton!"

Blue knew he wasn't and would never be the brightest crayon in the box and he hated it when someone especially an enemy would rub that shit on his face.

Mao arched an eyebrow when a killing urge surge from the man like an explosion. Situation like this was never foreign to her. She met, fought and killed opponents who had suffocating killing urge but had no enough skills to back it up. However, her intuition told her he was different and her instincts ordered her to run away. She could taste danger in her tongue and smell death. She crouched down. She had to be serious or else...

In mid-air, Red and Miki did a move that would impress even the best acrobatic as they evade each other's attack at the same time delivering their own. There were no words being exchanged between them and they had no time to strike a conversation because they were too busy plotting a way to win their match. It wasn't only their life that was at stake but their female ego as well. Both of them wanted to prove that they were better than the other.

Pain... Dry pain... It was all Miki could think as she got trap in Red's vacuumed area. Her chest tightened and she felt her head shrunk. She was quickly slipping away to oblivion and knew she had to do something. She formed seals and in a split of second, a tree spurted from the ground and took her in the air where her opponent's technique wouldn't reach her.

Red took no time in launching herself into the air, determined not to let the still gasping girl to recover. But she had not counted the branches that swipe away anything whose chakra they couldn't recognize.

A curse flew from her mouth loudly as she was slammed against the ground. She had tried cutting them and even tried to destroy them with ninjutsus but the missing parts were immediately replaced. All to protect herself, she thought. She realized that she couldn't get past them until the Konoha kunoichi wish to attack her. What a pest.

Kazuo had been disgusted when Green licked his blood that had splattered on the man's arm and he thought nothing could be more disgusting until the missing-nin plucked a blood-stained narrow leaf and licked it clean from tip to bottom.

"Ready to give up and be my cup of wine?"

As much as he wanted to kill that pervert he stood no chance now. He had no more weapons and he had broken bones especially his rib bone. He cursed silently. He wanted to stop breathing because such action was almost unbearable.

He struggled... tried to put up a fight when Green held him captive. "What would your blond lover say when she finds out that you're rape and drained?" He asked never bothering to hide the blood lust and excitement from his voice and movements.

Kazuo frowned realizing that Miki had been mistaken as his lover. What a joke! "Miki isn't-"

"I'm no blond," a very pissed Shuu said as he appeared behind Green with one thought in his mind: maim. It wasn't very often that Kazuo needed help being a fine shinobi that he was, so when opportunity presented itself, Shuu greedily would take it and would splendidly help his lover.

The missing-nin deflected his attack and quickly stole a glance from Black whose head was twisted grotesquely. How did managed to kill him? He briefly wondered. Black was powerful and skillful in his own and for him to be defeated by an effeminate teen...

Shuu had managed to kill his opponent not by excellent skills Konoha shinobis were known for but by incinerating negative emotions that took hold of him the moment he saw Green lewdly and predatorily draping his form over his possession. Absolutely and unquestionably unforgivable.

Shuu was known to be compassionate. Even when he killed his enemies, he made sure it was quick and painless and he never desecrated their corpses. But desperation, anger, hate, thirst for vengeance and to protect what was his had made him a monster. Black wouldn't be killed if he didn't block the raging shinobi's path.

Green leapt away aware that he'd be dead if he came too close to the furious teen who was protecting his man.

"Shuu, be careful," Kazuo whispered as he leaned his head on a shoulder. "He's a maniac."

The lad didn't reply too busy plotting someone's demise.

Unbreakable. Unbeatable. Invincible.

That was Mao and she still was even when she was bleeding and almost naked. It hadn't been her luck that her enemy wasn't only strong but a pervert. He had slowly ripped her clothes with her annoying and persistent claws made of water.

And to make matters more interesting, he plunged his middle claw into her stomach implying what he really wanted to do with her very soon.

"Just do it," she rasped. "What are you waiting for?"

He smiled and gripped her chin, "Finally giving up, eh? This is what I want."

Even in pain, she smirked. "Let's see if you'd still want me after this!" And with everything she had which was close to nothing, kicked his groin. She really wanted it to hurt so bad to the point that he'd be rendered immobile but he only looked tearful and livid.

"Fuck!" she screamed as she was thrown to the ground and almost flattened by a heavy body.

In a stroke of fortune, Miki's eyes coincidentally landed on her teacher's form and her eyes widened then narrowed as she noticed the man's wandering hands. The moment she landed on the ground, she changed her direction and made a mad dash towards her teacher, abandoning her opponent who looked confused then irritated.

Red went after Miki who was now making hand seals. Miki knew was already getting weak that to perform the technique she needed, she had to withdraw the chakra she was using on vines that always protected her from attacks.

On Red's hand was a sword made of compressed wind. She put all her weight on her feet and lunged forward. "You should not take your eyes from your enemy!" she screamed as she plunged the sword to her left shoulder. It should had been her chest but Miki faltered in her steps so Red missed but to the missing-nin it didn't matter to her. She wanted to see herself in those blue pools when she would defeat and kill that wench.

Miki's scream of pain was muffled with the pain Red felt exploding from her stomach. She looked down to find a sharp branch jutting from her stomach. She looked behind her to trace the branch.

"I never took my eyes from any enemy," Miki who was clutching her injured shoulder said soberly, getting her opponent's attention back on her.

With blood trickling on both side of her mouth and dropping to the ground where it joined with her blood from her wound, she fell to her knees. The last thing she saw before she died wasn't the Konoha kunoichi but her comrade behind the blonde. Blue was suspended in the air by vines and his legs and hands were spread, forming a perfect X. But that wasn't the only thing. Jutting out from his body were twigs. He had been turned into a human twig cushion and whether it was planned or not, a twig had pierced into his groin. This girl is a peril, was her last thought.

An exhausted Miki looked around to assess the situation. There was one enemy left and an equally tired Shuu was engaged in a fight against him at the same time protecting his lover.

She knew sooner or later Shuu would defeat the remaining missing-nin but they didn't have enough time and control was slipping from their hands not to mention their teacher's life as well as Kazuo's. Retreat was he only good choice that was left.

"Shuu!" Miki shouted.

Shuu knew what his blond teammate was telling him even before words were used. He landed beside Kazuo and hurriedly made hand signs. Thick grayish smoked filled the area, immediately dropping visibility to zero.

Green tried counteracting but to no avail. He had to admit that such technique was perfect for escape especially when there was an injured teammate.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Shuu, sorry but I have to take care of sensei first," Miki said as they rested in an area far from their battlefield. "For the meantime, please apply first aid on Kazuo."

"Shuu, I-"

The teen shook his head silently telling his boyfriend not to talk. "You have a broken rib bone, remember?"

Without any warning, Kazuo pulled him for a deep kiss. Even if his lungs burned he needed to taste his boyfriend and if he wasn't badly injured he would have taken Shuu somewhere and screw him senseless just so he could forget about wandering hands and disgusting tongue. Naturally, Shuu melted into such intimate gesture.

Not the first aid I was referring to, Miki thought the moment she glanced at her teammates.

Mao held Miki's glowing hands and shook her head. "Forget about me. Take care of Kazuo."

"No!" Miki retorted almost in horror. "No," she repeated again tearfully and fearfully. She wasn't ready to lose her teacher no matter how sadistic she was. She snatched her hands away and continued with her treatment. She told herself not to falter in her treatment and to maintain the required level of chakra all the way. She bit her lower lip when her left arm was getting numb. Her wound was still attended but that was because her remaining chakra was only enough for healing Mao and Kazuo. With their helpless situation, she was teetering over the edge of desperation and her tears weren't helping her. Dammit!

Even in pain, Mao chuckled at the sight of her student almost closed to breaking. "Until now, I never thought situation like would push you closer to my goal. I wouldn't mind dying knowing I won."

"That's cheating," Miki replied between sobs.

"But I didn't ask him to make me like this."

"Still..." she trailed off trying to search for words for what she wanted to say. "I still need your pushing and your twisted encouragement."

The jounin looked at her, "Miki, I think you're a masochist."

A blond eyebrow arched. "So? You're a sadist. We make a lovely pair."

Mao had to laugh at that statement and her former student's words echoed in her mind when Miki put her to sleep so she won't be distracted from her task.

"I'm going to administer first aid now," a breathless Shuu murmured when they pulled away.

"No need. I feel better. Much, much better," Kazuo who was now delirious with pain and with their shared kiss whispered.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Lovely sight," Green heard a very sarcastic voice commented. He looked up to the tree where the voice came from and found Black Hawk with his woman draped over him. He was surrounded by the remaining four members of seven people who joined him in his defection. Ryouji took in the scene before him. His ego hurt to see few of his personally trained men defeated and killed.

"Who did this?" he inquired calmly although he was bristling inside.

"Konoha shinobis," Green answered automatically. "All of them are injured as well. Two of them in the brink of death," he added seeing the dark scowl on the man's face. The scowl was immediately replaced with a maniacal grin, wickedness glinting in his eyes. He knew the reputation that always preceded the Konoha shinobis and was aware that finishing those injured ones would be good for his reputation. He imagined how people would react to such news and couldn't help but laughed. "Shall we end this party?" he asked.

Although injured, Green grinned and licked his bloody lips. "I also need to retrieve my possession."

Ryouji arched an eyebrow but never asked. He just moved forward and the rest followed closely behind.

Engrossed with their first aid and already weak, they never noticed the approaching enemies until they heard a deep chuckle. The two staggered to their feet. Shuu stepped forward planning to protect everyone. Miki looked at him. She knew all of them were no longer fit to fight but what should they do? They could no longer flee too. The only honorable option left was to stay and put up a fight even if it was futile. No... she won't allow anyone to die a dog's death. She'd protect everyone even with her remaining inch of life.

"M-miki?" Shuu inquired when he noticed hot and reddish wind suddenly coming from and swirling around her not to mention a third tomoe appearing on her almost glazed and blood-red eyes. And suddenly he was scared of and for her. He had never seen this image of her until now.

Ryouji and his companions seemed to flinch at the sudden display of power. The leader arched an eyebrow as he recognized the dojutsu and the bristling power. She was an offspring of the Uchiha and the Uzumaki jinchuuriki.

"Watch out for that kid," he told his team while the desire for that power coursed through him. "She's danger personified."

"Leave this to me, Shuu," Miki said. She could feel it- the hot burning power she sometimes heard Yuuzuki and Akemi talked about- the power that could be maximized with the sharingan.

"Ridiculous! They're seven of them, Miki."

But his teammate was no longer listening as she went to manipulate all the plants in the area.There were only two things in her mind: fight to protect and maim to save.

"What a defense! Is she a monster?" Green muttered. They, their weapons and technique couldn't get close to her because of the plants that automatically protect her. And the water techniques were useless as they evaporated at the heat of her power.

One missing-nin decided that if the kunoichi was untouchable then they'd attack her most vulnerable part- her heart. While his comrades distracted her, he sneaked towards her teammates but much to his surprise, thorny twigs sprouted into the air twisting around each other making an impenetrable shield.

Miki who was in mid-air, smirked. As long as she was in her element, the tide would always be against her enemies. She fixed her gaze on Black hawk- her main target. She quickly moved towards him leaving her shadow clones to deal with everyone else.

She scowled when the only woman in his team stepped forward to protect him but the Konoha kunoichi could see that her hands as they held a kunai trembled. Whether it was in anticipation, excitement or fear Miki couldn't tell but she wanted to believe it was the third that caused it.

"Move," she ordered as she extended her hand where vines moved restlessly around it.

To her credit, the woman remained firm so Miki had a plant swat her away. She grinned maniacally as she stood in front of Black Hawk.

Ryouji's fear was defeated at the amazement of such raw power that he was oblivious that vines were wrapping around his neck. He moaned as he felt that same chakra tingling his skin. He wanted it, desired it even. Strangely he was developing a hard on.

Miki was relieved at the same time disappointed that the infamous Black Hawk could be killed so easily. She was about to go in for the kill when somebody swooped down and took her prey. She gaped when she recognized the man's savior -Rina.

With him distant from his object of desire, Ryouji snapped out from his lustful state and looked at Rina. "Are you here to let me escape again, Ri-chan?"

A look of betrayal and shock settled on the blond kunoichi's visage. The person she thought to be a friend and sister was a traitor. But even if it would hurt, she had to kill Rina if she was a threat.

"No, not this time, Taichi."

Miki frowned. Taichi? But didn't she say that... Rina had lied. Deception for her sincerity.

Ryouji/Taichi frowned. "Don't call me that! I'm no longer that person." That person had been living for the village alone with no dreams and no hopes. Taichi was just one of the many dogs.

"Rina, you said your boyfriend Taichi died," Miki said, bewildered.

Ryouji snorted. "You've been hallucinating. I had and will never be your boyfriend. You and I were just childhood friends."

Rina looked away.

Miki finally understood the sadness and pain that perfectly brushed her elfin face. It was caused by unrequited love and dead childhood friendship. "You're wrong! She had never hallucinated. I assumed."

"I could never love a traitor," he continued making his former friend flinched. He could never forgive her for trying to discourage him from defecting instead of showing support and following him.

The light-haired kunoichi stared at him levelly and proudly said, "I can and that's why I'll kill you."

Smirking, he retorted, "You couldn't stop me how much more kill me."

The kunoichi smiled at her implying her decision was final.

The missing-nin ignored her and went straight to Miki.

Rina recognized the hand signs and jumped between him and the younger kunoichi whose eyes widened when blood drops flew off to different directions and Rina's pearl-white-colored hair slipped from its constraint and beautifully cascaded on her back.

Ryouji looked at the kunai that had been plunged in an area uncomfortably close to his heart. He never thought she'd do it. "Why?" he asked while his hand was deep inside her chest.

"Because I love you regardless if you're Ryouji or Taichi." Was her simple reply.

The shinobi leapt away and watched her as she was pulled by gravity but Miki was there to catch and laid her gently.

"Let me-"

Rina interrupted the other girl by shaking her head. "It's useless," she stated between gasps. And she knew Miki understood when the latter gasped, horrified.

"Wha-" the blonde couldn't finish even one word as she was still reeling from the sight of Rina slowly turning into marble starting from her wound. "There must be something..."

"I created this for him," she weakly said. "But I don't know-"

"Why?" Miki asked brokenly. "Why do you love him so much? Why are you doing all of these?"

"I love him because I can. His rejection won't stop me. B-but what do you know about i-it? Y-you… you just date and discard them. You never love anyone from the deepest part of you."

At such accusation, an image of Shouhei fleeted to her mind.

"You're wrong," Miki fiercely said a second later. "I-" she stopped when she realized that Rina was no longer listening to her. She was staring at a marble statue. She let out a cry of anguish and the plants around her responded. She angrily regarded Ryouji with hatred pulsating in her veins. When she took one step, Ryouji was surrounded by his men who were intent in protecting him.

"Let's fall back," his woman said. She knew they won't stand a chance against a very angry female and Ryouji needed to be attended.

"We should. An army is coming this way," Green weakly said.

Miki was about to follow them when a hand gripped her wrist. She looked over her shoulder to find Shuu.

"Don't!"

"No!"

The lad tightened his hold. "What about Kazuo and sensei?"

It was only then that she remembered her dying teammates. She hurried to them after giving the missing-nins' escape path and the statue a last glance.

"Hurry up, Miki! Someone's coming!"

But the warning or notice was too late. They were surrounded. Miki looked up to see familiar masks and she and Shuu knew they were comrades. So relieved was she that exhaustion overwhelmed her.

"Miki!" Shuu cried out as Miki fell to the ground ungracefully.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki groaned and turned around before she opened her eyes.

"Maki-san?" she murmured as she saw a male figure standing near the window at the side of the room. She frowned. Room? When did she get here and-

"Miki-chan," the man said with a smile on his face. "You're awake." He quickly moved to the bed when the girl moved to get up. "Don't. Your examination earlier showed that you still need bed rest."

There was no mistake that she was in Suna. The almost unbearable heat and the scent of sands in the air that fleeted from the open window confirmed her thought. "How long was I out? How is everyone?"

"Everyone is coping well. And you slept for six days straight." Looking at her with something akin to brotherly affection, he said in a tone laced with frustrated worry, "Miki, your body was beyond strain. It was a miracle that your body wasn't destroyed at the sheer intensity of your hidden power."

"I..."

"Promise me that once you get back to Konoha, you'll ask someone to give you thorough check just for second opinion."

Miki threw an arm over her eyes. "What for? You said all I need is bed rest."

He perched his hip on the bedside and tapped her forehead. "I was there, Miki. I felt the chakra. Anyone within the ten meter radius could. It was bad. Really bad."

"Why were you there?"

"Suna had a friendly military game with one of our allies. We were on our way home and you were near the border of our ally./

"I see."

Not liking the seriousness of the atmosphere, Maki smiled cheerfully. "My girlfriend tried to salvage your bracelet that was destroyed but couldn't find all the red stones so she decided to make it into earrings." He took the pair of earring from his pocket and placed it on her palm.

The kunoichi looked at the earrings with ten blood-red little circles dangling from it. An image of a ruby bracelet came to his mind followed by the arm that had worn it and the arm's owner- Rina.

"This isn't mine but I'll keep it. Thank you," she said, blue eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Maki nodded, pat her shoulder once then left the room, leaving Miki to hold the earrings closed to her broken heart.

Not a minute before her door was closed when it was slid open. The blonde looked up to find her uncle Gaara who gave her body a check up. She wished she was as stoic as her uncle. She scrambled from her bed and ran towards the redhead. Against his chest she cried all her pain. Awkwardly and hesitantly, Gaara wrapped his arms around her in comfort. Despite the many times his godchildren, nephews and niece had cried in front and against him, he still wasn't use to comforting them.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After the team's debriefing with the very relieved hokage, Miki went straight to Yamanaka's flower shop instead of going to the hospital as she had promised.

Chie greeted her the moment she stepped inside and Miki returned her smile before ordering what she wanted.

"I'm glad you're all ok now."

"You probably heard it from Akemi-nii,right?" She dramatically sighed, "the wonders of love."

Chie nodded her head in agreement and turned around so she could drop her forced smile and hide her confusion about the things between her and Akemi because even when the latter had told her that she could stay as long as she wanted, nothing was settled between them.

A minute later, Miki stepped out from the shop and went to the nearest river to let the bouquet of flowers floated. As she watched the flowers getting farther and father, she recalled her last conversation with Rina who lived and died for love. She had never met someone who had the strength to live like that. She envied her and wished... She sighed before leaving the place.

_I love him because I can..._

Miki stopped at the middle of a cross-intersection. The street in front of her led to the hospital and other administrative building. The one on her left led to the business area while the other on her right would lead her to the training area. Each path led to different places just as her choices would. She nodded to herself. If there was one thing she learned from Rina it was that love was a privilege and one could love freely and selfishly. For her dead friend, she would confess her feelings for Shouhei without expecting anything in return. And even if his rejection would hurt at least she had been honest. There won't be any regrets and what-ifs as she would continue to walk forward with eyes focus to the future.

And for the second time, Miki postponed her hospital visit and took the street that would lead to the training area where she saw no once but Hisayuki.

"Hisayuki-nii" she called out as she neared the place. Her heart was drowning with trepidation but despite that Miki's steps were light and bouncy knowing that for each step she was closer to her liberation.

Shouhei for the last twenty minutes was standing under the ice-cold waterfalls, meditating and getting ready for his team's mission the next day.

"Shouhei-san."

His eyes snapped open at that longed voice. When he saw her alive and in one piece, relieved gladness flooded within him causing him to poof in front of the girl and was about to embrace her out of impulse when Miki none-too-gently slapped his arms away and stepped away to place a distance between them.

Rejection.

"Don't come near me," she shouted making the lad flinched. She didn't want to be near him afraid that his presence alone would melt whatever courage she had. She repeated the same words but this time softly pleadingly and Shouhei was about to apologize for almost embracing when intense blue eyes focused on him, rendering him silent.

Miki clenched her hands behind her back and mentally took a deep breath before she plunged ahead. "I want to be honest with you. For quite a long time now, I like you. I like you a lot... more than as a friend." She paused because she felt like her heart was on her throat ready to slide outside. She swallowed once... twice... thrice.

"I just wanted to convey my feelings clearly and properly."

Shouhei continued gaping at her. No, he didn't hear it wrong. She really said it and her words flashed in his head in bright neon colors. He even heard the fluttering sounds coming from his heart. When did it have wings anyway?

Miki smiled. "Despite this, let's remain friends. I expect another scarf when you arrived from your mission." With this, she turned around to leave when Shouhei's hand shot out to grip her wrist.

_Never again..._

"Miki, I-"

The girl looked at him over her shoulder. "It's okay. I understand." I'm not gonna cry.

"Do you really?"

She nodded immediately. The lad's grip tightened.

"Let go. You're hurting me."

"I won't because you don't understand anything."

She whirled around intent in lashing out on him when Shouhei pulled her in a tight embrace. "I like you... since you're eight."

Minako stepped into the clearing bringing two lunchboxes with her and froze at the sight- her boyfriend holding someone or to be exact her ex-boyfriend judging by the way he was embracing his friend. It didn't take a full minute for her to understand what was going on. A part of her expected this to happen and yet it didn't stop her heart from breaking or tears from falling. Being a substitute hurt a lot and so was being dump. Defeated, she left just as quietly as she came.

"Since I was eight?! Then why..."

"Because you were too young then the next thing I know you just see me as a brother so slowly I was getting used to what we have but that didn't mean I stop feeling this way for you." He could never stop because the girl haunted him both of his waking and sleeping moments.

The girl nodded and returned his embrace. A moment later, chuckling, she commented, "you're cold."

"But I feel warm inside," he replied honestly even if it was corny. He leaned back to gaze at her smiling face and he was totally certain that everything was real. He brushed away the hair that was partly covering her eyes.

"You're really enchanting." So lost was he in those blue pools that he didn't knew what he was saying. Gently and slowly, he bent down to give the blonde her first kiss.

**TBC**

* * *

While editing this, I noticed that the team's enemies were mostly perverts. Hahaha. I don't know why but instead of changing their attitude, I am pleased that they are perverts. Flamboyant perverts make a good enemy, that's away among all the OC enemies, Green is my fave. Green reminded me of Nathan of Blood+. In fact, I think I unconsciously base his character on Nathan. LOL

Next chapter will be posted within the next two hours if I won't get frustrated with the document manager's current state.


	71. 明け暮れ

**Pretty late, right? Sorry but been really tired from work.**

**And the document manager has not yet been fixed. I already alerted the admin with all the errors I'm getting. If the format is bad, blame it on the error. I did what I could. Despite everything, I hope you'll enjoy the story. Thank you.**

* * *

**Chapter 71: Day and night**

In a particular room lit only by the moonlight shafts streaming from the gaps between curtains, Sasuke moaned and his wife's name came forth from his swollen lips in a trembling seductive whisper. He moaned again as the all too familiar all-consuming insatiable desire flowed through him like lava, unbearably hot and slow.

Slow... Burning…

That was what they were. That was what their slow lovemaking always was. It was very different from their wild romp. There were no crude and sinfully delightful words like 'fuck'. Instead there were just affectionate sweet nothings that always leave them warm and fuzzy. During these times, their animalistic instincts were tightly controlled and more often than not, Naruto would be on the top leading the pace because in the bed Sasuke was the impatient one between them. But that didn't mean that the Uchiha leader didn't like the slow sex. He did. He loved it as much as he did with its animalistic counterpart because the former affirmed the things that were forgotten or disregarded during the times they did the latter.

He let his hands gripped tanned waist as Naruto moved. He watched, still fascinated at the desire the blonde's face never failed to show. And he imagined himself under the bluest sky, the sun very close to him with its heat engulfing him possessively, sweetly and greedily.

Naruto bent down to alternately lap the still erect nipples before sucking them. He winced in pain when his partner's hold on his hair tightened that he was sure few strands had been pulled. However, despite the slight pain, he continued for few more seconds before he licked Sasuke's chest upwards, sucked on his chin before he hovered above him, his arms planted on either side of the dark-haired man's, supporting his weight.

Sasuke had to blink at the bead of sweat that had dropped on his right eye before he focus or tried to focus his passion-blurry gaze on his dobe.

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed. "Sasuke," he repeated again worshipping the man inside him with his name.

Their eyes widened when they felt five familiar chakras trespassing the Uchiha compound gate. They knew the trespassers were ANBU members and for them to come to the hokage's residence near midnight meant their business with their leader was very important.

The two looked at each other waiting for the other's decision. Should they stop or continue? Sasuke didn't want to but what about his wife who was very committed to his job? A small part of him expected Naruto to pull away but the latter just grinned and created a clone who nodded and left to meet the slightly welcomed trespassers.

"I won't meet them horny, unsatiated and all," he explained, not that Sasuke needed one. "Now my dear sexy husband," he purred making pale skin shiver, "let's continue where we left off but this time we have to hurry."

Sasuke smirked glad that his delicious torture was over. He gripped his wife's waist again as they resumed moving, this time in a hurried pace.

"You're always impatient," the blonde breathed between pants, his eyes almost rolling to the back of his head as his sweet spot was rammed.

"Let's see who's going to get more impatient," the other replied as he increased his tempo. His lust-hazed mind did a victory dance as the blonde rode him desperately after awhile.

"Sasu... harder... more... ke..." Naruto gasped slightly when his spouse suddenly changed their position. "Give it to me," he continued mumbling while arching his hips, meeting Sasuke's thrust for thrust. "I want... it bad. Desperately needed it so please..."

The Uchiha leader leaned forward to whisper, "I'm giving it so hold tight."

The blonde nodded and held his legs against his chest tightly. He moaned and clung to Sasuke, wanting to be completely devoured by the hot friction they created with their movements. For once, he allowed himself to be selfish completely thinking of himself and his needs instead of the village.

"Yeah, Sasuke. That... just like…" he didn't finish his sentence as he preferred to press his lips against Sasuke's.

Their furious and rhythmic movement stopped and they stilled as orgasm washed them away to blankness.

A moment later, Sasuke sighed while Naruto purred. Regretfully, they broke apart and the former watched as latter rolled away and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Are you sure you can stand?" the dark-haired man he watched his wife rubbing his lower back.

Naruto gingerly and slowly put his weight on his legs. He stood still letting his limbs get used to their burden. "I'm going to take a shower. Wanna join?" he asked over his shoulder.

"No." Sasuke liked the post-coital scent that filled the air and Naruto's that still clung onto his skin.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

ANBU members bowed and greeted their leader's shadow clone. "Another team had fallen to the rodent's trap," the team leader murmured. "That's the fifth team already."

"Their status?" the Rokudaime asked tensely.

"All of them are dead."

The blonde nodded tersely while cursing whoever was the insider. "This isn't the place to discuss matters further. Let's proceed to the Hokage tower."

His subordinates nodded.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Heavy silence ruled the Hokage's office as they sat quietly. Once in a while, one or two ANBU would discretely look at the Rokudaime who seemed to be in a deep thought

Naruto clasped his hands together, his knuckles turning white with its tightness. Five teams for one month... He shook his head in regret and disbelief.

At first the injuries of one particular team and their failed mission was nothing out of ordinary. Failure and injuries were daily part of their job but when another team experienced the same situation, Shikamaru was disturbed and decided to observe things. That was how Naruto was alerted that one of the dormant spies was now active and was causing deaths of few Konoha shinobis for whatever purpose he or she had.

Whoever the spy was, he was really doing well not only in leaking information but also hiding his identity. And Naruto passionately hated it. He was a sore loser especially when the game was being held in his turf.

The other occupants almost jumped when the blonde brought his fist crashing into the table.

"That asshole! He's so dead when we find him."

They jumped again when the hokage exploded into a puff of white smoke. It was only then did they realize that they had been talking to a clone. Out of respect, they stood up as they saw the real Naruto sitting on his chair with a serious look as if he hadn't done anything with his clone.

"Rodent is declaring a war against us. We have to get rid of him as quickly as possible." Naruto knew that he was a sore loser especially when the game was being held on his own turf.

The gentlemen nodded in agreement.

"We only knew of the spies' existence in our circuit and in the village because their existence is just natural," one member said. "But we have no idea who these guys are and identifying them would take time."

Naruto nodded. "I want you guys to investigate everyone. Break them into shinobi and civilian categories. Let the shinobis working at the mission center be the first priority of the former category while genins the last. For the other category let the priority be those who aren't natural-born civilians of Konoha," he instructed. "Understood?"

"But there are a lot of subjects and five of us-"

"I think five is enough. Anything beyond five would alert the asshole," the captain stated coolly.

"Okay then. I want a report once in every two days. If you don't have any question then you're dismissed."

Naruto watched as they disappeared before he let out a sigh. Briefly, he wondered whether he should go back home to join Sasuke in their warm bed. But when he remembered those who had perished earlier, he couldn't bring himself to indulge his wants. He leaned back on his chair and stared at the darkness beyond his office windows wondering what other quick way to find the spy's identity. When nothing came to his mind, he decided to work on signing pension documents and writing condolence letters to the victims' family.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

The coldness and hugeness on the bed told Sasuke that Naruto didn't return after he left to meet the ANBU members last night. Having no reason to stay longer in bed, the Uchiha leader threw the covers and stood up to make breakfast for everyone assuming that his wife was still in the office. He decided to bring his dobe breakfast later on. But when he was near the kitchen, he heard noises and as he entered, he found Naruto already cooking.

"Morning, bastard!" the blonde greeted cheerfully.

"Did you get a good sleep?"

"It would have been better if you were by my side," Sasuke sleepily answered as he took a seat and roughly brushed his hair. He sat there for a moment letting sleep leave him while he contentedly watched his wife moving in the kitchen. He murmured a 'thanks' as the other placed a mug of steaming coffee in front of him but he didn't feel like drinking… not yet.

"You okay?" he asked as he felt sadness coming from the blonde and seeping into him.

"A whole team died and it sucks knowing that. I'll be meeting with their families this morning. I've been hokage for a long time now and I should have been used to this thing but…"

Not knowing what to say, Sasuke just squeezed Naruto's hand.

Naruto looked at his spouse, fear creeping into his eyes as he realized that Sasuke would be leaving for a mission that day. Gulping and unable to stop himself, he suddenly embraced him. "I don't want you to go," he murmured, gulping back the lump of tears in his throat. He didn't want to lose Sasuke… never… They had to capture the rodent before he would lose his loved ones especially Sasuke.

"Go where, Naruto?"

"I don't want you to die because of some stupid mission," he continued. The mission for Sasuke's team wasn't stupid. It was an S-class one and yet he had called it stupid. Anything that would put his love in danger was stupid even if it was for the village. "I wish you're not one of the strongest shinobi in this village. In that way, I don't have to send you to dangerous missions."

Pale arms wrapped around Naruto's waist and drew him closer. "I'm not gonna die for some stupid mission." _I'd die for you._ "I won't die… not until you say the word."

"I love you. I love you so much," Naruto whispered achingly, "so if I lose you..." If he loses Sasuke, he'd be more than dead and rendered to worse than nothing. The two stared at each other, Naruto's head lowering for a heart-warming kiss when a sight stopped him dead.

"Don't stop at my expense," Kisho said. The boy was leaning beside the doorway fully intent on watching his parents kiss and hopefully make out.

The couple straightened from their position but their arms were still around each other.

"Kisho! You're as bad as…" he trailed off. But all of them knew what he meant.

_As bad as Jiraiya._ The old was probably cheering the kid on wherever he was.

"Show's over," Sasuke said with displeasure.

Unfazed, Kisho replied, "Too bad." He straightened and said, "I'm off to have a light spar with my buddies. Will be back past six for breakfast."

And with that he left. Sasuke sighed knowing the mood between them was gone. "Aside from rasengan and chidori, we should teach that boy not only respect but timing also."

The blonde laughed but whole-heartedly agreed with his husband.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

"You're way beyond our league, Kisho," Kazushi said as he lay down on the grass to cool his body just like everyone else. Except for the Uchiha boy, their bodies were beyond exhausted.

"I'm glad today is our day off," Makoto commented between pants.

"Speak for yourself." Kisho replied not as exhausted as his friends. At the age of twelve, he no longer saw his friends as a challenge. The reason he spar with them was because it was the most enjoyable way of hanging out together and his friends knew of this. At first it disappointed them but as friends they had to understand that Kisho was different; that he was experiencing a spurt of improvement. If Kisho really wanted a challenge, he would go to his family members.

Yes, the Uchiha family was the only one who could make him drop to his knees claiming exhaustion and defeat. His family members were the only one who could give him a challenge. In a way, it was natural because his parents were experienced; aware of their capabilities and knew how to go beyond their limitations.

His spars with Yuuzuki were always not what they seemed to be. Because his brother was always smiling, it seemed the training was friendly... a playful game but his attacks said otherwise. His attacks were vicious as well as well-planned that even if he was careful and wary his brother's attacks always rocked his nerves. Kisho's goal was to unmasked him brother and see the cruel and awesome ninja hiding that angelic façade.

His fights with Akemi were something he looked forward to as they were more intellectual… a mind game. Akemi was a manipulator, a writer of each of their spars. Even if tried, he still ended up being manipulated so effortlessly. His brother was always ahead of him by few attacks and Kisho couldn't catch up with him. The blonde's objective was to free himself from the role Akemi masterfully and slyly forced him into playing as well as get ahead of him by a number of attacks.

If Kisho wanted to sharpen his reflex and intuition he challenged Miki. For all her cuteness, she was as sly as a fox. No matter how many times he cornered her, she always had a trick to save her. Although he knew her attacks, he couldn't guess where and when her offenses were going to come. His aim was to read her attacks and corner her completely, making her totally powerless.

Kazushi looked at Shigure who coughed to clear his throat.

"Guys, we," he paused to move his fingers between him and Kazushi, "had been dying to tell you this. We want you to hear it from us rather from the villagers. I'm sure it won't be long before word would spread."

Makoto arched an eyebrow while Kisho just waited calmly.

"Kazushi and I are together for two weeks now," he confessed. And both guys were waiting for a violent reaction or something but Makoto and Kisho just smiled.

"Took you long to realize your feelings," Makoto said. "Kisho and I thought we'd die before you'd become an item."

"You know?" Kazushi said.

"It's so obvious especially to me," Kisho said.

"Ah yes… the king of pheromones," Shigure commented off-handedly.

The blonde threw his arm over Makoto's waist and whispered suggestively, "So Mako-chan, how about you and me?"

"Yeah, you and me," and Makoto delivered a good punch right into Kisho's grinning face.

_Bull's eye._

**-****SasuNaru is love- **

One man team. That was Kisho was. Ever since he had become a chuunin after the probation, the Konoha councilors and elders had decided that it was more appropriate to him if he worked alone. And for once, he couldn't help but agree with them. Teammates were good but not for him. In a way, they were just a burden to him. He understood the dynamics of teamwork that was why he wanted to work alone. Alone, he didn't have to hold back anything nor he had to worry about leaving teammates behind or slowing down just for them to catch up with him.

He refused any offers of working together from his close friends. He didn't want them to get hurt especially not them. Working alone could be sometimes lonely especially during resting… he had no one talk but it was something he needed to live with if he wanted to protect them. In fact, he was glad that he was working alone especially now.

He softly landed on a highest branch and leaned against a trunk, his breathing labored. He looked at his blood-stained hand that covered his biggest and deepest wound and sighed. He had been careless. There was no other explanation other than that. He had failed to think that maybe... just maybe the wounded man whom he had an arm wrapped around his neck would have a hidden weapon to wound him. Of course he had done it out of desperation and resulted to his death but the damage had been done. He had been injured- a state which his remaining enemies took advantage of. He swore that next time he won't be careless. He frowned. How many times did he make the same promises but always ended up breaking them albeit unconsciously? But he couldn't be blamed. When one had so much power and almost unlimited supply of chakra, one would definitely fall into false assurance that they were invincible just like him.

Kisho hovered a hand over the big gash on his right arm and started healing it with his own chakra. No, it wasn't the same kind of chakra that medic-nins used. His was just raw. It was something he learned more than a few months ago that his fast healing skills could be accelerated by applying a good amount of chakra from the outside. He had told Miki about this and the latter immediately advised him from doing it until her research would deem such way safe. But he didn't feel like listening to his sister. Besides, she wouldn't know. Nobody would except him and the one who had been following him for ten hours now.

Somebody was following him patiently and obstinately. Kisho didn't know what his stalker wanted. It couldn't be his life because the man who'd have attacked him in his injured state if he was. It was as if he was just curious about him but Kisho remained wary.

"You should show yourself before I get angry," he said calmly but there was a warning to it.

Not wanting to get on the blonde's bad side, the man appeared in front of the boy by perching on the thinnest twig of the branch where Kisho was sitting. The Konoha ninja rolled his eyes at the uncalled display of skills.

"Nasty wound," the man commented off-handedly.

"It's not something I can't handle."

"As expected from you, Kisho-kun."

The boy gave him a sardonic grin, "I'm not the least bit flattered. So what do you want?"

"I'm looking for a partner," the man answered lightly while sheepishly rubbing his nape.

"I'm Seichi Ouda by the way."

"Cut it out," Kisho growled in annoyance. "Your eyes tell me you aren't a cheerful guy so cut it out. And why does a twenty-five something missing-nin want me for a partner, hmm?"

Seichi was even more impressed. Not only did the Uchiha and Uzumaki union produce really amazing kids but Konoha also did a wonderful job in upbringing its ninjas. He lowered himself into a crouching position but never left his place. "We're going to change the world so there won't be discrimination against those who are different like you."

"What made you think I want to join?" Kisho asked.

"What made you think you don't want to join?" Seichi countered. "I'm certain you know what its like to be feared and discriminated."

Kisho certainly did. Beyond his comfort zone were accusatory, fearful and disgusted glances and the whispers that were carried by the wind to the infinite sky. No friendship or anything that could veil the label the other villagers put on him.

Demon.

And all because he had an unknown limit chakra supply, strength and a chichiue for a jinchuuruki. It was unfair and painful.

"Is that all?" he asked.

"That's the only thing I can tell you for now. What do you think?"

Kisho smiled wickedly. "Interesting." He extended his hand and said, "Count me in."

And Seichi smiled victoriously. They now had an ace.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Kisho was led inside a weird looking inverted spiraling cone. Outside it looked unfit to stay in and the ominous look it had scared any living thing away.

"New guy," a lanky man with an iron pole twisting around his upper announced to a comrade as he looked over one of the too many holes. "Or should I say boy?" he added, chuckling insanely.

"If it's Seichi's choice, leader would immediately give his approval. That man has a good set of eyes," a man completely hidden in shadow said.

"Whatever. Let's go and meet them," another said.

Kisho together with Seichi had been walking in the dark for quite sometime now that the moment he stepped inside what almost look like a cave, he cringed and closed his eyes at the blinding white light. It took him quite sometime to adjust his eyes and the others took that moment to assess him.

"Name?" asked the man who was sitting five feet tall pedestal made of rock and bejeweled with bones. The authority ringing in his voice told the Uchiha that the man was the leader.

"Kisho... Uchiha, Kisho."

"Uchiha," the man repeated, letting its syllables roll from his short tongue. After nodding and murmuring incoherently, he clucked his tongue. "Itachi's nephew, I presume. Come forward so I can see you clearly."

While obeying the man's request, Kisho wondered how the man knew his infamous uncle.

After a moment of scrutinizing the boy, the leader sighed in disappointment. "You don't look like him at all."

"Kouya-sama!" called out a panting voice. "I-" The newcomer stopped as his eyes landed on Kisho who looked surprised.

"Saburo," the blonde said calmly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the other Konoha ninja angrily demanded.

"I should ask you the same question." Was the amused comeback.

"You know each other. Lovely," Kouya stated apathetically.

"We were classmates and used to be friends," the Uchiha boy supplied.

"Before you betrayed me."

"I was just being honest with myself."

The leader jumped from his place and draped an arm on both boys' shoulders. "I don't care if you have differences and all those shit but you better work together for the common good of this team or else..." he brought his head down to whisper, "I'll kill you." And to prove that he wasn't kidding, he squeezed their shoulders tight before he let them go. "And now Kisho-kun, a proof of your defection."

The boy untied his hitae-ate he wrapped around his left thigh, pulled out a kunai and dragged the weapon over the metal plate, engraving a big cross over the Konoha symbol. With no remorse of what he did, he threw his hitae-ate to Kouya's feet. "Anything else?"

The man nodded his head to one member who walked towards the boy.

"Just to make sure you're sincere," he said before he gripped the boy's head and read every single one of his thoughts.

"I'm Hiromi," the man a moment later while flashing Kisho his very yellow teeth. Seeing that the mind reader had introduced himself, each member followed suit.

"Tama," a male in his late teens said, his canine protruding even when he had closed his mouth. Kisho was reminded of a cat.

"Green," another one stated almost meekly causing the others to arch an eyebrow wondering what happened to his flamboyant and annoying character. Of course, none of them knew about his traumatic encounter with an Uchiha member. When Ryouji died by the fatal wound his former friend caused, his lover committed suicide right there and then and those who were left behind decided to disband.

"Kenta," the lanky man rasped as he let a pointer finger glide on his pole.

"Kagemusha," came a hollow voice from the shadows.

"Show yourself, you idiot!" Kouya barked in annoyance.

There was a grumble before the member obeyed. Kagemusha looked more like a corpse rather than what his name say- shadow warrior. His eyes were sunken pronouncing the sharpness of his cheekbones and length of his nose. His skin complexion was deathly pale proving that he spent more time in the dark. His lips were purple... naturally so. And his long hair was unkempt and anybody who saw him could have sworn that they saw one or two insects were flying his head.

The last person stepped forward and introduced herself but no sound came from her mouth but her name echoed all over the place.

"Jou really likes to show off," Tama muttered.

Kisho looked at them- his new friends or to be exact comrades and nodded in approval. "Nice to meet you guys."

"Five hours from now, we'll have a general meeting. Everybody will meet everybody," Seichi as he guided Kisho to another area. This meeting was in a way formalizing the existence of their organization and the bond that held them together.

And just as Seichi said, all members had gathered. There were fifteen of them. And Kisho had to be impressed finding out that the spies were either genin or low-class chuunin- shinobis who were always the last person to be suspected.

During the meeting, it had become a common knowledge that Kouya was a fanatic of Akatsuki. But as much as he wanted to name the group Akebono, synonym of Akatsuki, he didn't want the group to be associated with Akatsuki.

"How?" Jou asked. In order for them to dominate villages especially the hidden, they needed something or someone powerful than Kisho.

Kouya smiled smugly before he answered. "Akatsuki had left some helpful notes about extraction of demons from jinchuuriki and sealing of them. And I found them."

"So? It's not like that would be helpful," Tama commented. As far as he knew, all Akatsuki who had become jinchuuriki was killed by Konoha and its allies. There were no more demons anymore for them to capture and seal.

The leader clucked his tongue at the other's obliviousness. "Eight demons are dead but the most powerful one is still existing," he paused to shift his gaze to the Uchiha boy, "right, Kisho?"

"My chichiue," he agreed.

The older man nodded. "He was mainly the cause of the Akatsuki's defeat and this area is the witness of such historical battle."

"How are we going to get him then?" "Kenta, when are you going to start thinking that maybe... just maybe I sent you out to kill Konoha shinobis for a reason?"

"Oh," Kenta replied eloquently, immediately catching on. He thought the spree killing was just to kill time before the meeting. Now he knew it was to draw the hokage out. It was the reason why their spy in Konoha was the only one active.

"With the hokage being to emotional for his own good, it's just a matter of time before he'll come out." Kisho nodded again. With ANBU members and jounins being killed one after another, the Rokudaime won't have any choice but to send someone strong- his otousan or Yuuzuki or Akemi. And the death of one of the three especially of his otousan's would suck out everything from his chichiue until he would be nothing but a shell of his former self and a killing a machine… a demon.

"And with the jutsu I came up with, all of us could wield its power," Kouya said, ending the discussion.

"I don't need it," Kisho said, surprising all those who were present. "All I want is the destruction of the village by these hands," he extended his hands in front of him then clenched them, his eyes glinting with danger while he smiled malevolently. Revenge would be his anytime soon. Perfect.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

From the top of the cone, Kisho apathetically watched the small form of Saburo as he left the place.

"He's off to get information again," Hiromi said as he joined the blonde.

"Aren't you worried that this time the victim would be one from your family?"

"No, I prefer them to be killed earlier and by somebody's hands. In that way, they won't be in our way if we capture the hokage or when we would take over the village."

Hiromi looked at the boy almost in pity. The Uchiha blood was really cursed. He had defected from Konoha just like his otousan and his uncle and he wanted his family's death just like Itachi albeit by somebody's hands. The Uchiha members were really a menace enfolded with breathtaking gift wrappers.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

And the days rolled of one by one with no word from or contact with Kisho in any form. Everyone in his close circle of friends was worried. Was he hurt? Was he fatally injured? Were the few questions running through their minds. Although he was still within the timeframe of his mission, which was one week, it was no secret that he could complete mission in three or four days. But his friends and family weren't the only ones who were worried, there were others but for a different reason. Whispers of defection, betrayal and prophecy of Konoha's annihilation created ripples within the village that it made the elders barged into the hokage's office unannounced. "Shouldn't you do something?" Tamura asked as preamble to their topic.

"It's still within the mission time frame," Naruto stated coolly, disrespecting them by paying more attention to the documents he was working on.

A large vein twitched on the woman's forehead. "He's already out for five days. Dammit!" she snapped, totally annoyed with the blonde's cool composure. If only she knew of the turmoil brewing beneath that facade.

"This is the first time to happen."

"Have you ever thought that perhaps he's injured or captured. He could be killed for all we know!" Naruto replied. He was close to getting angry. "That's ridiculous! That boy couldn't be. He knows your techniques as well as those of the Uchiha. We have a reason to feel threatened."

"Will you stop treating my son as a menace?" he demanded, his palms pressed into the surface tightly. "Or... like a demon," he choked, his frame trembling with anger.

Konohamaru who had been watching the exchange took pity and had the urge to throw the elders out as rudely as possible. What do they know about Kisho? He thought. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The male elder, Ishii successfully hid the glee he felt as he accused Naruto of being bias. "You should set your priorities, _Rokudaime-sama_."

"Think about the situation carefully and objectively," ordered Tamura. "Or are you not aware that-"

"I'm aware of everything," the blonde interrupted grimly, "more than you guys do. And I'm making decisions objectively." He straightened and looked at them straight in the eye. "That's why the Rules of Uncontactable and Untraceable Ninjas will be applied on him."

Both elders frowned. The rules stated that when there was no contact for three days even after the mission's time frame, a team would be sent to find the missing ninja. Within the four days, would there be any proof that he committed a crime or even after four days the shinobi won't be found, he'd be declared a missing-nin unless evidences showed otherwise.

"What?" the hokage asked, taking in their displeased expression. "Didn't you tell me a while ago to think carefully and objectively?"

The two looked miffed.

"What if by the time we learned that he is a nuke-nin, he is attacking a village?" Ishii demanded in a hiss.

"Then he would be killed by my hands," Naruto replied with no hesitation or insincerity in his voice. He would kill a family member if it was to save the rest. He was willing but that didn't mean he wanted it. Absolutely not.

"Even if he is your child?"

Naruto's face became as serene as a calm sea as he answered with unquestionable conviction. "The Hokage has no son or family. If there is, it is the village."

The smile that graced their crinkled and sagging face told the village leader that they were pleased. And he watched them leave the room as if they gained a new lease on life. How pathetic.

Naruto let out a sigh and tiredly slumped back on his chair. He looked up when there was a soft clink. He smiled and immediately drank the coffee Konohamaru had prepared for him. "How about we switch places for one day?"

Konohamaru laughed while bringing the tray to his chest albeit unconsciously. "I prefer not to be hokage. Thank you."

Naruto just sighed as he swiveled his chair around to stare outside.

**Kisho...Kisho? Kisho!**

**-SasuNaru is love- **

When Naruto came home, he found Sasuke sitting on the porch his gaze fixed on the gate.

"Naruto," Sasuke said, conveying everything through that name.

And Naruto slumped against him, falling into his strong arms while alternately murmuring his spouse's name and apologizing that things were slipping from his control. And all they could do was to cling to each other trying to draw strength and light for their dimming hope.

Dinner at the Uchiha households was silent and at best awkward.

**Kisho?!**

_Sasuke stepped inside the house and walked into the living room then stopped. He let his gaze swept through the area nothing was out of place and yet... he smirked knowing that his youngest son was hiding somewhere. __"_

_Kisho," he called out softly. A second later, he stumbled forward as something plastered behind him. Sasuke sighed and looked over his shoulder to see his son's grinning face. He turned around, crouched down while taking small and soft hands in his big ones. He thought it was time to teach the younger Uchiha that showing oneself when his name was being called defeat the purpose of hide and seek. __"You shouldn't come out when your name is being called out or you'll be it." _

_Confusion created lines on the boy's forehead as he frowned. "But chichiue said that I should come out or respond when parents and siblings would call me. It could be important." _

_"I'm certain he didn't mean it when you're playing hide and seek." __The boy's reply was rubbing his nape while grinning sheepishly reminding the other one of his spouse when they were still kids. _

But that had been eight years ago. And as much as they wanted to believe that the youngest Uchiha was just playing an almost twisted hide and seek, they knew that wasn't the case. And no matter how many times they called out his name, Kisho remained missing and there was just a deafening silence and haunting emptiness.

Kisho

Won't you respond anymore? Had you became deaf and mute? Or are you somewhere very far where even the wind carrying our voices calling your name won't reach you?

**TBC**

* * *


	72. 僕の道

Document manager is okay again. Yehey! No more glaring at the monitor!

It took me like one or two minutes to understand mou's review but anyway just to make things clear, "the eight years" I wrote at the bottom part of the story referred to the flashback Sasuke had. The memory which happened eight years ago was written in italics and had no warning or whatsoever. Sorry for the confusion.

And despite what you guys think, it wasn't a move for Kisho to gather the spies in Konoha. Despite the ANBU's efforts, they can't identify all the spies in Konoha especially the passive ones. That's just how the real world works, right? Governments are aware of the spy's existence in their country but as long as these spies' actions won't threaten the existence of the countries then they would let the spies be or follow/ observe them but won't eliminate them, I think. I'm so oblivious with things such as this.

* * *

**Chapter 71: The choice he made**

Sasuke and his team froze in mid-leap as they saw a black mushroom smoke rising in the air just above Konoha.

"What the heck?" Yanagi exclaimed. "Is Konoha under attack?"

That question surged them to move forward, their hearts beating faster and louder out of fear and adrenaline pumped their veins.

_God, let it be anyone but him._

As they drew nearer, they could clearly see the damage the attack had caused. There were no signs of genins and there were only few chuunins. Most of those who were engaged in battle were jounins and ANBU members. This scene alone told them the situation was in a code red. Sasuke abandoned his team and speeded towards the hokage tower. He spotted one ANBU guard who was fighting someone. Who? He didn't give a damn. Even though the guard had the upper-hand, Sasuke jumped in and killed the attacker.

"Where's Naruto?" he demanded from the surprised guard. In any given peaceful situation, Sasuke should have been reprimanded for his lack of respect but at that moment nobody especially Sasuke gave a damn. It was Naruto's life at stake. His Naruto.

"Kisho-" the man trailed off as a loud explosion interrupted him. They looked up just in time Nidaime's face was wiped out, Shodaime's nose fell off and Sandaime's sported large cracks.

Instantly Sasuke recognized the technique and his heart leapt to his throat. Naruto was fighting. Fighting with who? He didn't know not until dust started settling down. He saw two silhouettes standing one or two meters apart and blue orbs glowing in their hands, drawing the dust in the air in a perfect spiral. Without a doubt, he knew Naruto's opponent- Kisho. His son. Their boy. His and Naruto's child- the product of their passionate love. God! Why did it have to be like this?

Before he knew it, he abandoned the guard and moved forward. Fervent prayers rushed to his mind; bargains with any gods who were listening were offered by him while asking them to let him reach them on time to stop the fight between father and son. He had to stop it. He wanted to save them both because they were his important persons.

All prayers ceased as halfway and right in front of his eyes, Naruto got hit and droplets of blood sprayed in the air like red pearls.

Sasuke ceased running and stood frozen in the spot unable to believe and unable to take his eyes from the scene. Adrenaline evaporated from his veins and was replaced by coldness and hollowness. Weak-kneed and suddenly tired, he fell on fours.

It was like he was reliving the murder of his clan once more but this time it was so much worse. This time it was Naruto being killed. This time it was Kisho – his son who was doing the unspeakable crime.

He always imagined that when Naruto would be killed, he would go in a fit of rage and would be thirsty for revenge. He always thought he'd end up like that not on the ground, unable to see the soil he was staring as the image of Kisho killing Naruto stuck in front of his eyes where tears cascaded from like waterfalls.

What was pain? Sorrow? Sadness? Emptiness? Nothingness? When his parents were killed, he thought he knew pain, sadness, grief and loneliness. He was wrong. He didn't know until now. Losing Naruto was pain, sorrow, sadness, loneliness, emptiness, darkness and nothingness. This was his transformation into being an empty shell. This was his slow death.

_Take me now. You already took everything away from me._

He had no reason to live or to breathe. His mind was blank and the shards of his heart rang with emptiness just as his world turned completely dark and there was no sun to light it up once again. Wasn't his clan enough? Why must he suffer like this? Why couldn't he just be on time? Why couldn't he have a chance to save his precious person? Why must life choose for him? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

"WHY?" he screamed as his right hand dug into the soil while his left was busy pounding the ground. Somebody was shaking him, calling his name urgently. He opened his eyes to find blue orbs filled with worry and fear staring down at him.

"Sasuke?" Naruto choked.

It suddenly registered on Sasuke that he was on their room, on their bed and it was just a nightmare. A fucking nightmare. His hands wrapped themselves around Naruto and pulled him close. "Naruto," he whispered tearfully, unashamed of the tears he was crying while he was sleeping.

The blonde didn't ask. The fear in Sasuke's eyes told him his husband had a nightmare. He placed a soft kiss on both eyes, licked his tears before he gently kiss Sasuke assuring him that it wasn't real.

"It's going to be okay. I'm going to make it all right for you," Naruto whispered as he settled his head on Sasuke's heaving chest, his arms wrapped around the pale body. Softly, he hummed a song just to calm down his spouse's erratic heartbeat. His eyelids drooped at the way Sasuke combed his hair.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yukina and Yuuhi were in the garden, the former gardening while the latter was busy chasing dragonflies and butterflies.

"Watch your steps, Yuuhi," Yukina said just to remind her youngest child while rubbing her slightly bulging stomach. She looked over her shoulder when she heard a sob. It was Haruo coming from the nursery and he was sobbing.

The boy immediately sat under the nearest tree, clutching and burying his tear-streak face against the bag Kisho bought for him as a gift for entering nursery.

Yukina immediately went to him, Yuuhi not far behind.

"What's wrong?" she asked. But Haruo only shook his head and refused for any comforting hugs so she could only rub his back to soothe whatever troubled him. Yuuhi stared at his brother wondering what made his usually cheerful brother cry.

Five minutes or so, Haruo decided to talk but his voice was slightly smothered by his bag.

"They said uncle is bad..." He paused to sniff. "That he would kill us."

"That's not true," a voice said fiercely causing the three to look up. Yuuzuki crouched in front his oldest son. "Do you think he's bad?"

"No," was the fierce reply.

"Then don't listen to them. They don't know about uncle Kisho. Understand?"

Haruo nodded, wiping his eyes.

Yuuhi wrapped chubby arms around Yukina's neck. He didn't understand the whole situation. All he knew was that his blond uncle hadn't visited them for quite some time.

"Uncle here?"

His mother wrapped an arm around his waist. "No, but he'll be here soon."

He nodded.

Watching his family, a small part of Yuuzuki wondered who was stupid. Those who kept on believing or those who never believe?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Nobody noticed the sly smile that touched Saburo's lips as he left the mission center with a copy of one of the pages of the mission ledger. It really paid off to have everyone in the village thought of him as just one of those lowly chuunins working in the mission center as a bookkeeper because no one suspected him. But in case someone did, he could easily execute his plan to set up one of his co-workers. At first he wanted it to be Iruka but the man was oozing with fierce loyalty not to mention that he was popular among his former students who were now clan leaders or prominent Konoha figures. Well some of them anyway, but the point was a thorough investigation would be held and it won't be long before Iruka's name would be cleared while he, Saburo would be apprehended. Such event would be pathetic. He didn't want that. He won't be foolish.

He stopped his train of thoughts when somebody called his name. It was Sone- his ANBU member friend and his source of information because ANBU missions were never sent to the mission center.

"Lemme guess, you just arrived from your mission," Saburo stated smilingly.

"Nope. We just had our debriefing with the hokage," Sone replied. "And now I need booze! C'mon!" And he dragged the boy who would always drink orange juice.

The moment they entered the building, Saburo left him to buy their usual drink while the older one went to their usual table- the one located at the corner and almost hidden by the darkness. He trusted his friend so much that it didn't occur to him that he was being used; that information were being squeezed out from him or that his drink was being spiked.

Saburo discretely added two drops of the colorless and odorless liquid from a small vial he always carried with him. The concoction was prepared by Tama and its effect made the victim spill any secrets when prompt by someone and when it wears off, the victim would have no memories of what transpired.

Saburo watched as his friend downed three cups straight while listening to Sone's blues about his latest mission. He hid his smile by seeping his juice as Sone's tongue started loosening. He knew that the drug was now taking effect.

"Is there any on-going investigation about the frequent deaths among jounin and low-rank ANBU?"

Sone's brows furrowed. "I don't know." He shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe."

Saburo nibbled his thumb. He was certain that an investigation was going on because the top brasses weren't stupid. But if there really was and without an ANBU member's knowledge- ignore the fact that such member was a low-rank one then it must that it was being done in secrecy and by the higher echelons in ANBU. He frowned knowing it was too difficult to penetrate that circle because it was composed by the cream of the crop; the best among the best and the powerful ninjas next to the hokage. Worse, he didn't know anyone who was a top-rank member. But in any case, the discretion practiced by those who were investigating meant everybody was a suspect. Damn. But despite everything, Saburo was still confident that it would take a long time before he'd be caught. A very, very long time.

He proceeded to inquire the question he was itching to ask. "Any missions for any Uchiha member?" He wanted to know. He wanted that information to be leaked to his group so Kisho may suffer. After all these years, he still hated the boy and was still holding a grudge against him.

Sone reached over to grab Saburo's collar. "Who do you think you take me for?" he hissed, scaring the younger one. Had Sone realized that-

"I'm not a fucking top rank ANBU member. Dammit! But I'll be. I'll top everyone in the organization. Until then," He let go of Saburo and patted him on the shoulders. "You have to wait."

"Wait?" he echoed while trying to relax.

"Only the hokage and/or the Root leader know about missions for top-rank ANBU."

Irritation came too quickly for the chuunin. All this time, he thought that that wasn't the case. Damn. Was ANBU that really secretive? He needed another plan.

He accompanied Sone until the drug's effects wore off. After that he left and quickly went home. He locked the door to his room before leaning against it. Slowly, he took the paper out from the inner pocket of his flak jacket and unfolded it. His gaze swept over the text looking for a perfect victim. He grinned wickedly as he found a name that seemed to stand out among everyone else.

_Uchiha, Miki._

Perfect.

He couldn't wait to see Kisho's expression when he would learn that the next victim would be a family member. But he didn't have to wait that long because two days from now he'd be leaving for a mission.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Trap.

That was what came to a villager's mind as he scampered and pressed himself against the wall as if it would save him. Upsetting garbage bins causing its contents to be spilled on the ground was the man's least concern as a very livid Akemi stood in front of him.

"Care to repeat the comment you made earlier?" the shinobi ordered more than asked in voice that was like velvet sliding against a blade- soft and smooth but there was an unquestionable danger to it.

"I believe-"

"Your statement began with 'that little blonde monster'" Akemi snapped, his voice lashing across the space between them like a leather whip.

_If you overheard it clearly, why should I repeat it?_ He mentally demanded. That was what he thought until blue eyes narrowed and Akemi took a step forward in a predatory manner. God! He had said it out loud. He had unwittingly put one foot in his grave. Stupid mouth.

"Because I want you to say it right in front of my face," the lad replied in a voice reminiscent of Itachi's- cold, calm, sharp and with hidden unspeakable ruthlessness no sane man could ever do.

The man pressed himself closer against the wall. He could only let out a cry as Akemi flew towards him with his right fist pulled back. In his fear, he didn't hear the crushing sound as the shinobi's fist hit the wall missing him by hairsbreadth. When no pain came, the older man opened his eyes to find Akemi's face so close to his.

"It is because of people like you that Kisho is..." he caught himself from finishing the sentence. Admitting to someone that his little brother was gone was not something he should do. Especially when there were just one day more to go before he'd be declared as a missing-nin and especially not to one of the persons who made Kisho leave.

The man's knees buckled and he slid to the ground. He looked up while the boy looked down.

"Call him demon one more time and I'll show you who the demon between us is."

With Akemi's stone-cold eyes glowing red in the dark and his lips thinned in a slight snarl, the man had a perfect image of the devil himself.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"What are you thinking, Miki?" Shouhei asked as they sat under a tree with Miki sitting between his legs. His girl had been quiet for too long and had been staring at the dusky sky for quiet sometime now.

"Because praying and hoping are useless, I want to come up with a technique to stop time no matter what the price is."

Shouhei perched his chin on her right shoulder and softly assured her. "Kisho-kun will return for sure."

Miki sighed, closed her eyes and leaned against hard chest. "I know but not within the timeframe of the Rule."

_Kisho... I'm... We're missing you._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

_Sleep, leave me. Sleep, come no closer. Sleep, disturb me not._

That was the constant chant that filled the thoughts of one watch guard as he found his eyelids getting heavier and his alertness rapidly decreasing.

"Good evening, Daisuke," someone said.

That softness of the mature voice that held warmth and tinged with childishness... There was only one who had that.. the Hokage!

That title made his alertness skyrocket to maximum. He snapped his gaze to the left and just as he guessed, a kimono-clad Naruto was there together with _his_ ANBU captain who was also wearing a kimono.

"W-What can I do for you, hokage-sama?" he asked.

"Go and get some sleep," was the blonde's reply making Daisuke blushed. "Next time don't let me catch you on that state or else..."

"But it would anger the others and besides there's no one willing to substitute me."

A blond eyebrow arched at such comeback. And the next thing Daisuke knew, hundreds of Naruto came into his view. What the-?

"I'm relieving everyone from their duty tonight."

The guard was still sporting his pole-axed expression as Naruto's clones left them to take each posts in Konoha. This was ridiculous. ANBU captains taking guard duty was heard of but a village leader? What a joke!

"No, its not joke," Naruto said. "It's an order."

Daisuke sighed. "If you put it that way then," he said, bowed and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke took a seat beside Naruto. He didn't question the latter why he wanted his clones on every post because somehow he knew. His logic pointed Kisho as the reason and considering that tonight was the eve of the day when Kisho would be declared as a missing-nin-

"Sasuke, could we have protected him more from the villagers' narrow-mindedness?" Naruto asked, his left hand snaking out to hold his spouse's right one.

"We could if we never let him step out the compound from the very beginning," Sasuke said, returning the hold. "Besides, we both know that you know the answer. Does your friendship with the gang; the acceptance of some; the hokage title and my feelings for you hide everything?"

"No, they just soothe the pain but..." He turned his face to meet Sasuke's gaze, trying to make a point. "I wanted to make a difference for Kisho. And to think that I failed-" He angled his guilt-stricken face down.

Sasuke grabbed his chin. "You didn't fail! It's the village who failed you."

Instead of saying anything, Naruto became quiet but his silence told Sasuke he agreed.

The rest of the night was spent in silence, both of them engrossed in their own thoughts and fears.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto couldn't help the sob that went past his lips as golden light highlighted the edges of mountains. Daybreak and Kisho was still not found.

_My child. My dear child, come back to my arms._

He and Sasuke tightened their hold on each other's hands.

As the sun started spreading its warmth and brightness over Konoha, darkness blanketed them allowing coldness to seep through. What was hope? What was prayer?

Naruto buried his face against Sasuke's chest crying in desperation and frustration. And in return, Sasuke buried his face into the mop of blond hair tearfully comforting his wife while fighting their inevitable lost. Or perhaps it was time to take things into their hands. But sneaking out from the village would only upset and worry Naruto more.

_What should we do? Somebody tell me._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Saburo discretely took a sideway glance from Kisho after he announced who their next victim would be but much to his disappointment and annoyance the latter just smirked as if he had prayed for things to turn out like that. What was he thinking? Hadn't it been a known fact that Kisho held Miki his most important person?

"Very good, Saburo," Kouya said, approval evident in his voice. "It won't be long before we'll have the last jinchuuriki."

"So when are we going to kill them?" Tama asked.

"They're probably on their way home so today would be perfect to intercept them," Jou stated.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Green finally made known his opinion.

"If not today, then-"

"What I mean bitch is that fighting that girl is like committing suicide. She's more dangerous than that thing."

"Tell me, Green. Have you ever fought against the jinchuuriki?" Kouya asked.

"No, but I fought the girl once and-"

"Leave the strategy planning to Seichi. He won't let us die."

"You'll not die by Miki's hands," Kisho commented, looking at them while juggling kunai and shuriken. "I'm going to make sure she won't lay a finger on you."

"You're going to fight her?" Kagemusha asked.

The smile that graced on Kisho's face had sent coldness running through their spines.

The beginning of fear.

"Better than that."

And the next thing, they knew, Saburo fell to the ground dead.

The others could only gape at Kisho and follow his movements with their eyes as he approached the fallen spy. The boy plucked the kunai from Saburo's body paying no attention to the blood that immediately gushed out like water from a small leak.

"W-what is the meaning of this?" Green asked. Was he going to relive his nightmare again?

The inquiry fell on deaf ears as the blonde continued inspecting his blood-stained kunai looking torn between using it once more or discarding.

Kenta was pissed. He lunged forward. "Why you son of a bitch!"

_It isn't blood that runs in Uchiha veins but treachery._

The attack was a perfect opportunity for the Uchiha boy and wrong move for the missing-nin.

Like a cascading waterfall, chidori flowed from Kisho unrestrained. The current quickly covered the ground, rendering everyone's legs immobile. Everyone's but Kagemusha's. And for Kenta who had a metal pole wrapped around his body, the charge was amplified and had shocked his whole system especially his heart rendering him dead. He was too easy. Kisho clucked his tongue in disapproval. But he was still positive that among the others, there was someone who was a worthy opponent. Kisho's attack had snapped the remaining ones from their shock and struggled to get their legs working again before they'd get killed.

Just to make sure no one would leave, the Konoha ninja used a fire technique that would block all exits.

He had never accepted any of their spar invitations and he was glad he didn't because it added to the thrill he was now feeling. This was the first time he ever felt like this. It was very different from the one he felt when having a spar with his friends or family. It should be because this time his life was at stake.

"Come and attack me," he said. He wanted to find his limit; he needed to know if he had one. He wanted to prove that like everyone else, he also had one.

His arrogance added fuel to their fury.

"Fuck you, Hiromi!" Tama muttered. "Didn't you check everything about him?"

"I did but there was nothing but hatred to his village."

"That's bullshit!"

"Oh yeah? Shut up and kill him already." Having said that, Hiromi attacked the waiting boy.

Kisho leapt backward to avoid Tama's feline animal he had summoned. He skidded backward then almost kneeled at the pain on his stomach brought on by the punch he received a second ago. He felt like vomiting at the intense pain but he was pleased because Hiromi was known for his taijutsu.

He bent backward just in time for very big cat to snap its mouth close on his head. The feline growled at the taste of bark then cried out in pain as a rasengan hit and sent him spiraling in the air.

"More..." Kisho whispered to the wind. He wanted more of the feeling. "I'm going to kill you if you won't give me more," he growled.

The moment he blinked his eyes, the landscape had changed. Everything was green, clayish and distorted. He looked at his hand only to find it distorted too. His body was distorting- twisted and bent and he wouldn't mind it if there was no pain but there was and... and he screamed. Quickly before he'd be driven insane, he stabbed the back of his hand with a kunai, snapping him out from the illusion. However, he had no time to sigh in relief as a glint caught the side of his sight.

Scythe... Kouya's scythe.

He hissed as the tip of the blade grazed an upper arm.

Tama made hand seals to use his wind claws that would cut anything and brought it down on Kisho. He smirked at the boy's expression when his kunai was divided into three.

"Die!" he said triumphantly not aware that he was talking to a clone. Then his blood ran cold as his ears registered the sharp sound of chirping birds. But he was too late. Kisho's hand had gone past through his chest.

For a brief second, Kisho felt the man's heart pumping before his hand pierced it. With a smile hovering on his lips, the blonde pulled his hand and swung his arm back, tainting the ground with blood in a perfect arc.

Disgusted, horrified and angered, Hiromi rushed towards him raining him with kicks and punches but Kisho had grown tired of his techniques. The moment he saw an opening, the boy slammed a rasengan against his chest.

"More," he murmured again. He couldn't get enough of the addictive feeling.

Jou.

In one swing of an arm, he caught all the kunai without getting injured. He lunged towards Jou and he smirked as their eyes met.

Genjutsu vs. Genjutsu.

Jou wasn't melting. She was evaporating... slowly. She couldn't remember how but she managed to escape from the homicidal shinobi with the intention of moving as far away as possible from that boy. But with the sweltering heat, she probably couldn't make it. She was thirsty... no her throat was as dry as cotton and there was no sign of water. Damn.

Kisho stepped away from Jou knowing he didn't have to do anything else. With the illusion she was in, she was bound to kill herself. There was a big difference between her genjutsu and his or to be exact the Kyuubi's genjutsu and although he and his siblings only inherited only a part of it, it was enough to drive any human insane. According to his observation, Jou needed five-second eye contact for her illusion to work while his took effect the moment eye contact was established. Not only that, it wasn't easy to snap out from his genjutsu.

He gasped as he felt himself being lifted and imprisoned by hands made of soil. He looked at Seichi.

"Show me..." he told the older man as if he wasn't being held captive.

Looking at his partner who had a maniacal glint in his eyes, Seichi wondered if he had been wrong. No, he was wrong. Definitely wrong but he didn't know the boy would be a double-edge sword. Just then Kouya charged forward ready to behead their enemy.

Seichi had predicted that Kisho would snap the binds holding him and the boy did, he pressed his hands to the ground and a split second later the blonde was engulfed in darkness as the ground beneath his feet rose and swallowed him.

Seichi briefly stared at the orb which was going to be the Uchiha's grave. Yes, his grave because the technique he used was to suffocate the victim while absorbing his chakra. It won't be long before Kisho would be no more. He shook his head at everyone's death. There were only three of them now. He clenched his fists. The damage was due to the lack of unpreparedness but none of them had thought that somebody would betray them and at such an early stage. Really what was Kisho thinking? And how did he manage to fool Hiromi with his thoughts?

Kisho instinctively clutched his chest. Breathing became painful and he couldn't see anything. With darkness around, coldness wasn't far behind. Was this what it felt like to be dying? But he heard that memories would flash before him so why they hadn't started yet? Perhaps he should close his eyes, yeah? The boy did but he saw nothing. No, his brain needed air for the memories to flash. He needed air and his head hurt too. No! He needed air.

_Let me out!_

For the first time in his, he struggled and felt desperation kicked in his efforts became vain. Chidori and Rasengan were the only the techniques he had which were capable of destroying something as thick as this and the soil was absorbing his chakra. His ordinary chakra.

_Jiraiya old man, this one is for you. I'll show you how far I'd improved._

Kouya and Seichi snapped their gazes where a wicked chuckle came from. They leapt away as the orb splintered apart.

A red-chakra emanating Kisho was alive and more fearsome.

The two leapt, twisted and flipped as the traitor started moving his arms dishing out deadly red chakra.

Wanting to finish what he started, Kisho did hand seals and blew fire into the air. And from fleeting stream of fire came fire balls that ricocheted everywhere in lightning speed. It won't be long before they'd be hit and incinerated.

Left... bend forward... twist... flip to the right... lift left arm...then turn before ducking to side…

Kouya screamed as he was engulfed with fire the moment the red ball hit him.

Seichi knew he couldn't save his friend so with a fleeting look to the burning man, he put his efforts in evading those dangerous orbs at the same time doing hand seals.

Consecutively he used the soil bind technique watching as hundreds of hands blocked, grabbed and extinguished the balls. He jumped backward just in time to save himself from one ball he didn't see coming until that moment. The ball did miss him but it had forced him to move back to where Kisho's snakes coming from his arms were waiting for him.

Kisho was glad that he was able to use a technique his otousan was so adamant in not teaching him. He had spent almost three months ostentatiously begging the elder Uchiha to teach him. And just as he thought, the technique was worth to be part of his arsenal.

With his body weakening and his muscles going numb, Seichi rasped what everyone wanted to ask. "Why?" When scarlet eyes didn't show any recognition, he expounded the question. "Why are you doing this? Don't you want to have a place-"

"I want it. I really do," the blonde answered with conviction, his fists now clenched by his side. "But you were all hypocrites. You wanted to give those who are like me a place and yet you talked about my chichiue as if he's a thing. What right do you have to call him jinchuuriki as if... You were no different from the villagers or from Akatsuki."

That was it? Seichi asked mentally. The reason of his betrayal. But didn't he abandon his village? He did but that didn't mean he cut his ties with his family. So why did he stay? He could have killed them the moment he knew of their objective. He didn't know he had voice out the question until the boy answered.

"I needed a break from the village at the same time give them a scare."

Seichi realized sickeningly that they had been used by Kisho. With hatred in his eyes, he reached for the boy and clutched his left shoulder. "You're a bane."

Kisho shrugged the hand off, "I am when I want to. Good-bye, Seichi-san." Then in a blur, he disappeared to escape from the set of kunai flying to his direction.

Green growled in irritation when his kunai hit Seichi's corpse instead. Kisho hadn't given him the time to voice out what he thought of him as the boy appeared beside quickly and twisted his arm.

It didn't matter to Kisho that Green had turned into water or that the same water was quickly snaking around him planning to drown him. No, it didn't matter because in a second after his chakra surface out from his skin, the water evaporated.

"So you met my sister?" he drawled, trying to start a conversation. "Pretty but nasty, isn't she?"

And if Green wasn't so keen in trying to survive, he would have agreed but he didn't want to provoke the boy. He gasped in surprise when cold lips brushed against his ear. "But I'm nastier than her." Came the breathless whisper. Green whirled around but the boy had disappeared once more.

Behind me.

He whirled around just in time to parry a kick. He leapt in the air and was followed by the boy. In there, they exchanged blows too quick for an ordinary human eye. Green managed a couple of hits before they landed on the ground. He smirked as he realized that he had an advantage because of their height difference. As long as they'd have a close combat, he had a slight chance of winning.

Kisho was more than aware of his situation. But he knew what he should do. He summoned two clones and at the same time he and one of his copies created rasengan and disappeared.

Where and who would attack, Green couldn't tell so he had to be extra sharp. His body tensed ready to flee or fight.

Green felt exhilaration as he managed to grip the wrist of the hands holding the pressured chakra orb. He flung the two away like ragged dolls. He whirled around, swinging his leg at the clone. His eyes widened as he saw another hand with another rasengan. But wasn't one clone supposed to be empty-handed?

"It won't work against me," Green said as he managed to hold Kisho's wrist and twisted his arm.

The boy smirked. "I know," was his calm reply as he made the concentrated chakra ball disappear.

Green trembled as current flowed through him. He let go of his captive putting a distance between them but the shock his body received had made him sluggish- a state which the Konoha shinobi took advantage of. The older man could only gape at the chakra-powered hand that had immediately pierced his chest. And before he closed his eyes all he saw was the smug victorious look on a very childish face. And Green died knowing he was a loser.

Kisho let out a big sigh of relief knowing he had won. It was high time that he did because... he clenched his fists and winced. Because chidori always put a strain on his right arm, his current usage limit was three. And he lack control on his left one so using chidori with it wasn't advisable. Unlike rasengan, he wasn't yet good in wielding chidori.

Briefly, he let his gaze swept over the corpses, checking attendance. Before he finished doing so, he flipped in the air and landed few feet away from the arc-shaped blade that created a red ribbon on his neck. He brought a finger to his nape and traced the painful cut.

"I won't miss you next time," Kagemusha said. He finally made an appearance and Kisho wondered if he could take the man on.

Kagemusha smiled slightly. His comrades' death was not in vain. Kisho maybe powerful but he looked tired. Beautiful. He now had a very good advantage. He swept his gaze over the place and smirked. Yes, definitely a good one.

"What the-?!" the boy gasped, leaping from the sword that came out from the shadow. He looked at the slash on his shirt and realized how close it was on his skin. He flipped forward just to escape from the blade's range.

Kisho kept on running away. The sword's appearance was unpredictable and he had no time to counteract because the sword disappeared as quickly as it appeared. He let out a cry as the sword plunged into his left thigh. Already gasping for breath, he commented, "As expected from the leader."

Kagemusha smiled, not the least bit surprised that the boy figured out that he was Akekure's leader and not Kouya. Among the members, it was only Seichi who knew but anyone with brain would after fighting the so-called leader.

"You have no time to look please, boy!" Kagemusha announced tartly as he plunged his weapon into a nearest shadow.

Kisho jumped just as his opponent's weapon emerged beneath him. At that instant, the blonde realized that he had no chance of winning as long as there were shadows. His power over shadows was different from his uncle Shikamaru. He could move from one area to another using the shadows. Kisho was certain that this was Kagemusha's bloodline limit.

There was only one way to get rid of the shadows. He created a mass of clones and one by one he made them transform into anything that would cover the holes. And when that was done, he withdrew the flame barrier that closed the entrance and exit, throwing the place in complete darkness.

Kagemusha's hollow chuckle echoed through. He was amused at the boy's way of thinking. Did the boy have any idea that he was now in a worse situation? His action not only put him in his element but also saved him from using his chakra.

For every attack and every movement, he let Kisho realized his mistake. But Kagemusha looked troubled because for every hit he made, Kisho made sure the sword would pierce deeper. He couldn't figure why he was doing it. The ground was slightly slippery with blood and the whole place was stinky with coppery scent.

Even in the dark, Kisho could feel his vision wavering. Blood loss. He had to finish the battle very soon.

_Just a bit more_, he told himself. _Few more blood and everything would be over._

He didn't move even when he knew kagemusha was standing behind him. He didn't struggle even when an arm was wrapped around his neck.

"That weak already?" Kagemusha murmured. Kisho just nodded. He was tired.

"I'll end it now," the older man told him as he raised the sword and brought it down.

"Yeah, let us," Kisho breath as he caught the sword and with an added force, guide it to pierce through his right shoulder and into Kagemusha's chest.

The shadow man let out a gasp. He never expected it.

"You put your guard down," Kisho said. "Just as I planned."

Just as I planned he said? What the? And then he knew. Everything made sense now. Kisho knew all along the mistake he made but being proud, he didn't correct his action because with or without light, he would let himself be wounded.

"You'd die very soon." Kagemusha said weakly. Individually, they were ninjas with skills just a notch above mediocre and with a dream as big as creating a new world order where each of them would be rulers, the only way they could achieved it was to work together but that would remain as a dream.

Kisho let out a chuckle. He had won. He extracted the sword and dismissed his clones. He had won the gamble. He had the right to live.

With a bloody hand, he covered his eyes as beams of light filtered through and bathed the place. Light had never been as beautiful as it was that time. He never stopped smiling even he fell on the ground. He raised an arm as if to grab one golden beam while his left arm weakly snaked into his weapon pocket and took his real and unmarked hitae-ate.

I'm going home soon, everyone so just wait...

And with his Konoha headband pressed to his chest, he closed his eyes as red liquid around his body.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

One hunter-nin focused his gaze ahead. He wasn't seeing things. Vultures were gathering above one place and crying in joy at the feast they found. She stood up and signaled for her companion to follow her. The gathering of such number birds meant one thing dead bodies. Dead bodies meant that missing-nin were close. After all, plunder and kill were the usual things rogue ninjas did either to prove their right to exist in the wilderness or to show their superiority.

They entered the place as quietly and calmly as they were trained. Their eyes widened slightly at the bloody scene. Now, they knew the cries the vultures were giving weren't out of joy but frustration at the inaccessibility of their prospective food.

Ito closed his eyes as he took a bite of his meat bun. After eating food rations for a week, any real and warm food was a treasure- a luxury that couldn't be afforded by most shinobis on mission especially hunter-nins.

His partner slid down on the opposite chair.

"Encountered a hunter-nin. Word is out that corpses of nuke-nin are found at a place thirty minutes or so from here." That was the good thing about hunter-nins. Because of the nature of their work and their living conditions, they were all friends and shared helpful information even if their countries were warring or their leaders had a mutual antagonistic feeling towards each other.

"And?" Ito asked completely unable to get the implication.

An annoyed Nagisa plucked the half-consumed food from her partner and snapped, "We're going to that treasure cove!" And before Ito could protest, he found himself being dragged away.

"No... my meat bun," he cried out, a hand outstretched to the table where his treasure lay but his partner was a bitch.

"This one is alive," a Suna hunter nin said as he checked on the blonde. He poked the boy while saying, "Hey! Blondie!"

"Unconscious?" a Mist counterpart asked. "When would those Konoha hunter-nins arrived assuming they got the word?"

"No need to fret," Nagisa said as she and a pouting Ito appeared.

"Missing-nin?" the Suna asked. "You have two comrades. The other one is there." He jab his thumb over his shoulder.

"Neither the two are in the bingo book," Ito said after confirming their faces.

Just then an eagle swooped down and perched on the shoulder of the female Konoha hunter-nin. Nagisa gently pat the winged animal before taking the black scroll from one of its legs.

She untied the black ribbon and read the letter from the hokage.

"Ito!" She called out and thrust the material into his hands.

"I see. So that explains his presence here," he said after awhile. "But what about the dead one?"

"What are we going to do?"

Ito gave her an are-you-stupid look. "We follow SOP. We found Kisho-kun just before we received the announcement so the order is null. And there was no solid proof that he killed the other boy. Leave the investigation to the ANBU. Give treatment to the blonde while I'll take care to burn the other boy's corpse."

**-SasuNaru is love**

Naruto looked at the brown eagle landing on his table. He smiled as their gazes met. "What, girl? Can't find the pair?"

The animal shook her head and stuck a leg out. The hokage took the scroll noting that it had been touched. He quickly unrolled the paper and scanned for any writing.

There was a short one and signed by Ito and Nagisa. The message was short. It only carried the information that they found Kisho heavily injured and they wouldn't leave the area until appropriate measures were taken. The pair also requested for a team of ANBU and medic-nin.

Naruto shot out from his chair ready to go and pick up his son. But Sai who had stood behind the blonde while the latter was reading grabbed his wrist.

"You need to retract your order." Then he looked at Konohamaru. "Inform one of our best medic-nin to get ready."

"Right away, sir!" And then Naruto's secretary was gone in a blink of an eye.

"Naruto, for a lot of reason especially for the sake of a good public image of the result of his investigation, you stay here," Sai advised. "I'll make sure he'll be in good hands with the team I will choose."

Naruto protested when the Root leader took the first sheet of his order.

"Just in case the team would meet some uninformed hunter-nins, they can show this. Unless you want to a fight to interrupt between them."

Naruto beamed. "Thanks, Sai."

The man nodded while looking at him in a way the blonde couldn't place a finger on. "Anything for you."

"Stop saying that and stop looking at me like that. You're giving me creeps."

Sai smiled cryptically, "That's why I'm doing it."

"You're an asshole!"

"Unfortunately, not a match for your small penis," he replied before disappearing to escape from the wrath that would follow the moment his statement would register on the blonde.

The whole tower shook when Naruto angrily screamed the Root leader's name.

After that, Naruto created five clones to help him write a new order.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Kisho came to, he found himself under the bluest sky and felt warm.

"Finally, awake?" he heard a familiar voice asked.

"Ah! Akemi-nii? I'm in Konoha already?"

"With that condition?" Akemi replied as he reached out to mess with his brother's messy hair. "When these guys make you stable enough, we'll go home together. But I don't think I can protect you from our parents' wrath."

Kisho made a face before he lost his consciousness away.

Three day later, when Kisho appeared in front of Naruto in his office alone and almost covered in bandage, the older blonde stumbled forward and gripped his shoulders.

"I'm home, hokage-sama... chichiue."

Naruto trembled as he slapped his son before hugging him tight. "Don't ever play this kind of hide and seek ever again!" He growled. "You made us worry."

"I'm sorry. Things almost slipped from my control."

His chichiue pulled back and looked at him in confusion.

"It's okay, chichiue. I made some friends but had to kill them because they were planning to take something important from me."

"It must have been hard for you." Naruto hugged him tight, feeling sorry for his son.

Kisho smiled. "Not really. But they peaked my interest." He looked at his father. "Chichiue, I'm going to turn down the ANBU invitation. I want to be a hunter-nin." Because being a hunter-nin meant he could be away from the village for any amount of time; could travel and have fun fighting missing-nin and meeting people.

Naruto smiled as he wiped away his tears. "If it makes you happy. But you've to tell me what really happened," he said while being happy that Kisho finally found something interesting.

"Thanks, chichiue."

The two shared an identical smile. Kisho reached up to wipe the tears still falling from his father's eyes.

"You're still crying?"

"Tears won't stop."

The younger Uchiha grinned mischievously. "I finally understand why you end up under otousan."

The scandalous look that graced Naruto's face was priceless. And even if it had been more than three weeks since they met, Naruto couldn't let that comment slide. "What's that got to do with it?" he demanded.

"Everything."

Just then Sasuke entered the office.

"Sasuke! l can't believe we have the most perverted son. Why can't he be-"

"Dobe! Stop shaking him."

"Ah! Kisho! Are you okay?" Naruto demanded while fanning the half-conscious boy with his hand.

"I think I'm going to-"

"Sasuke, do something!"

Sasuke pat their boy's head. "Stop scaring your chichiue."

A fully conscious Kisho grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

"I know you haven't gone to the hospital since your arrival. C'mon, I'll take you there," the Uchiha leader offered.

"Otousan, I still know my way around Konoha."

"I have a scheduled check-up today so let's go together."

"Check-up?" Naruto echoed fearfully making Sasuke frown. Was his husband sick?

"Dobe, the ANBU annual check up remember?"

Naruto let out a sheepish chuckle. "I know, bastard."

"No, you forgot."

"I didn't."

"Is the kiss and make-up coming very soon?" A hopeful Kisho asked.

Sasuke glared while Naruto let out a frustrated scream. Why was their son so perverted? Where had they gone wrong? Did Jiraiya possess their boy?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Ear-splitting screams of pain, horror filled the place as Konoha was engulfed in flame. Men and women alike scampering away, trying to escape from the hell of their own making. Konoha drowning in a sea of fire was a very beautiful sight at least to Kisho.

Burn... Burn more.

A voice softly calling his name, snapped him out from his imagination.

He looked over his shoulder to find his chichiue standing behind him.

Naruto walked to join his son on the cliff overlooking the village.

"To see the place that discriminated us engulf with the flame we made and to let the villagers taste the hell that they put us through everyday... would be fulfilling, wouldn't it?"

"You read my thoughts?"

Naruto laughed, "No. That is mine. Once in awhile when pain is too much, I'd always imagined that fiery scene." He looked at his son. "It's easy to destroy this village with the power we have. But despite that, the fact that we never carry out what we sometimes desire made us even more powerful. Remember that."

Kisho nodded. "For sure."

Naruto slapped his knees. "Then, let's go home. Everybody is waiting for you." Right now, he didn't care what would the result of Kisho's investigation. What matters was that Kisho was back.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Once again, the Uchiha family was complete. The dinner they were partaking was delicious and it was even more so when they were eating together. Voices and laughter echoed over the place.

"To Kisho for finding his path," Miki uttered, raising her glass.

"To Miki for passing the second level licensure medic-nin exam," Akemi added.

"To Yuu-nii, Yukina-nee for the oncoming birth of their third child. To Haruo and Yuuhi the soon-to-be older brothers," Kisho chipped in.

"To Akemi-kun for being promoted as ANBU captain," Yukina said.

"For otousan for having the longest record of consecutive success missions," Yuuzuki commented.

"To dobe for mastering the art of procrastination," Sasuke smugly stated, playfully commenting on his wife's recent tardiness. Their children laughed while Naruto pouted before smiling arrogantly.

"To the five Uchihas, who would be fired for making fun of their hokage."

And because he said it so seriously, a part of them thought it was no joke until the blonde laughed, childishly mocking them. Everyone in the table laughed too.

All was well. Nobody knew of the storms that would strike very soon and test their ties.

**TBC**

* * *

That's just how I imagine Kisho to be- almost crazy with his so-called infinite power. He wanted to feel the thrill that was being deprived by his power most of the time. But if Akekure was different, Kisho would leave his village.

This was 29 pages long. I hope your eyes didn't go dry. Congratulations for reaching here.


	73. 愛の直面

**Just a light and slightly short chapter. I don't understand why the font size is big like aroubnd 16 or something. In MS word, I set it to ten. Anyway enjoy and forgive the formatting. Grrr...**

* * *

**Chapter 73: Love confrontation (ai no chokumen **

Even with his visible eye half open, Kakashi had no trouble maneuvering his way to the center of the village's graveyard for its shinobis which was always covered by thick mist at five o'clock in the morning. Nothing had changed. Even after many years, the pain of losing his mentor was still as fresh as before. He had lost a lot of loved ones but the sorrow he felt at Arashi's death was different and he couldn't explain why.

He froze few steps from Yondaime's tomb and his heart picked up speed when he saw his mentor kneeling in front of his tomb.

"Arashi-sensei?"

But to his disappointment, eyes that weren't narrow but round focused on him.

"Kakashi-sensei, good morning."

"Good morning too, Naruto," he greeted back as he walked to the blonde who was the bitter-sweet reminder of his dear mentor. "You're earlier than usual."

"Today's schedule is hectic so I've no time to come here later."

"Sasuke's not here."

"He was tired so I didn't bother waking him up."

Kakashi's eye wrinkled in mischief. "You wore him out, eh?"

"Mission and for the record he's the one who wears me out."

Kakashi grinned while Naruto blushed. The blonde looked away and stepped aside to let his former mentor pay his respect. When the older man was done, he looked to his side to find his former student staring at the distant, eyes narrowed in deep thought. With his eyes like that Kakashi couldn't help but think that Naruto was Yondaime's kage bunshin.

"Isn't it sad, Kakashi-sensei that only the two of us are the ones who remember his birthday while a lot of people remember the date he died?"

"Wouldn't it be sadder if none remembers it?" one of the best jounin replied.

They fell quiet for a moment savoring the scent of morning dew carried by the morning breeze.

"Despite that I don't have any memories of him and that he sealed Kyuubi in me, I'm glad he and ofukuro brought me to this world because I met a lot of people who loves me back."

Kakashi smiled. It was obvious that Naruto had finally come to terms that while some hated him for being a jinchuuriki, there were others who loved him for who and what he was. He patted the blonde's back while his other hand grabbed the bottle of wine he brought for his mentor.

"Let's drink to that together with Arashi-sensei," he suggested.

Naruto didn't mind drinking early in the morning what he minded was...

"But there's no glass. It would be like you indirectly kissing Sasuke and I Iruka."

The silver-haired jounin mentally shivered at thought of him kissing the Uchiha leader albeit indirectly.

"You have such weird thoughts."

"At least, they're not perverted," the blonde retorted.

The older man's eyes crinkled in a smile. "Why don't we do..."

**-SasuNaru is love- **

When Naruto returned and walked down the hallway, he noticed the door of the family shrine was ajar and scent of incense coming out. He walked in and found Sasuke staring at his father's picture.

"I'm ho-"

"Ne Naruto, if your father was alive and met me do you think he'd like me?" Sasuke asked without taking his eyes away from the framed picture.

"No, he won't because you're rude and arrogant but he'll approve of you because I love you."

Sasuke turned his head to Naruto's direction in time to receive a kiss from his wife.

"Good morning, bastard," Naruto whispered softly.

"You tasted wine," Sasuke murmured.

"Kakashi and I drank some after pouring sixty percent of it on oyaji's tomb." Of course, as Kakashi suggested they drank from the bottle without its mouth touching theirs. "Is it bad?"

Sasuke shook his head, his lips brushing against Naruto's. "No. It's almost the same when I kiss you and your mouth has still a taste of my semen."

"Sasuke, you-"

The rest of his words were swallowed by his spouse's hot mouth.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Chie none-too-gently banged her head on the table wanting to stop herself from thinking about Akemi. Even though, he had told her that it was fine for her to stay beside him, she hadn't seen him or even his shadow after he had checked on her on her first eight days as a civilian of Konoha. She assumed that he was off to a mission until she heard some of her customers talking about him and from their conversations she deduced that Akemi was not assigned to a long term mission but was just avoiding her like a plague. That realization hurt more than her father disowning her.

She plastered a big smile on her face when the chime hanging at the door made a sound, signaling the arrival of a customer.

"Hello," she greeted warmly as she recognized one of her frequent customer. "How are your plants?"

The chestnut-brown-haired and freckled girl smiled shyly. "They're coming along fine. The fertilizer you recommended helped a lot."

She nodded. "What can I do for you?"

"I need five pots because some of them need to be transferred and two packs of the same soil you handed to me a week ago."

And while Chie started getting the things she wanted, she spotted something on a table- an abstract sketch. "Are you planning to join the Konoha arts contest next month?" she asked.

"I'm not so sure but I wanted to try," the aristocrat-turned-florist answered.

"I'm certain people would like your drawing."

Chie let out a soft chuckle and they became quiet. The girl paid for her things and before she left, she thrust a hand out towards the other girl. "Here," she said, extending a vial to Chie. "I asked a friend to make this for the wound on your left arm."

Chie immediately cradled the wound she got when she had fallen from the ladder back at the storeroom two days ago.

"Try not to get careless again," the slightly blushing girl said.

"Thank you..." Chie trailed off because the girl refused to give her name even though she asked for it a lot of times. The girl just nodded before she left quickly.

The girl slowed down into hurried steps and slightly bowed her head to avoid Maki's sharp gaze.

"Oi, young lady, let's go and have some coffee," the Suna shinobi said. She ignored him. As much as she wanted to escape like disappearing in a poof, she was just a civilian. "Shit!" she murmured as she felt an arm casually draped over her shoulders.

"You shouldn't ignore me, babe," Maki whispered huskily. And the next thing he knew, he was slammed against the wall of a dark alley while sharingan-activated eyes were trained on him.

Maki looked smug as the freckled girl changed into Akemi. "Y'know Akemi, I like you better when you're in your original form."

"Shut up!" Akemi growled. If there was something he hated about Maki, it was his perceptiveness. His friend managed to identify him despite his henge of a very ordinary-looking girl.

"And why of all, it has to be of a girl?"

"I have my reason."

"You don't want your girl to fall in love with your male henge," Maki stated.

"Stop making assumptions," Akemi ordered instead of giving his friend the satisfaction that he was right.

"Y'know it's not an assumption," the Suna shinobi said. "Direct contact with her as you is better. What are you afraid of?"

Changes.

Because his moments with her were always unpredictable not to mention that her presence alone made his chest tighten with feelings he never felt before. And those feelings intensified when she would look at him affectionately. Being with her changed everything and he hated changes when he didn't know how and its outcome.

"Akemi-kun?" Ayame's voice echoed in the alley. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing," Akemi said. "Maki and I are just talking."

"In a poorly lit area?"

"Got a problem with that?" her object of affection asked as he, followed by Maki, moved towards her. She immediately blushed at such question and decided to change the topic.

"What's that in your hands?"

"Miki asked me to buy these for her." Looking at Ayame, Akemi wished it was her he fell in love with. With her, everything was calm and predictable and his heart was not in the danger of bursting. But when he thought of that, he felt something inside of him wilting.

With optimism shining in her eyes, Akemi knew she would ask him on a date. Of course, he would turn it down and she would tell him before leaving that she'd try again next week. Yes, things were simple with her but it's not her that had gotten under his skin.

"Direct contact," Maki said when the girl was already out of sight. "Besides, I don't think Miki would like to take care of all the plants you bought."

**-SasuNaru is love- **

"Have fun," Miki and Yukina called out while waving their hands to Yuuzuki, Kisho, Yuuhi, Haruo and Akemi who were going on an outing. It would have been all Uchiha males but Sasuke was off to a mission while Naruto's schedule was hectic.

"Fish! Fish! Fish!" Yuuhi murmured as he moved around in his otousan's strong arms.

Haruo who was holding his uncles' hands as he walked and once in a while swing between them, asked, "Are we going to eat Mr. fish?"

Kisho nodded. "They'll be delicious."

"But I don't want to fish. I want to play ninja."

"But Haruo, we played that game over and over again. Let's try something new," Akemi said gently.

"What if I don't like it?"

"Then we'll play ninja."

The child smiled at his favorite uncle before looking at his blond uncle. "Uncle Kisho, you'll be the uke-nin."

Kisho laughed before patting his head softly. "Actually, I prefer to be se-" he faltered as he found himself at the receiving end of two cold death glares. He chuckled meekly before agreeing, "Sure. I'll be the nuke-nin."

"Haruo, we won't play the game until you get the word right," Akemi told him in a strict voice. "It's nukenin not uke-nin."

Haruo nodded and all the way to the store where they would buy bait, the boy repeated the correct word over and over again.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

"I don't like fishing," Haruo declared before pouting. He had grown tired of sitting and waiting for mister fish to fall to their trap although it had just been more or less five minutes when they started.

"Very well, let's go swimming!" Kisho suggested as he took the boy's swimming trunks from his bag.

A second later, there was a very big splash as Akemi, Kisho and Haruo jumped into the river together.

Yuuzuki sighed. With the din the three were making, it was impossible to catch any fish. "C'mon Yuuhi. Let's join them."

And the swimming which includes dunking and splashing each other had been fun until Haruo complained about being hungry. With no food with them, they decided to go grab food after they put on their dry clothes.

Few minutes later, they walked into a family restaurant, starving.

Some time while waiting for their orders to be served, Haruo hid his face behind Kisho.

"What's wrong?" Akemi asked.

"The woman is looking at me," came the muffled reply.

Without confirming, the blonde replied flippantly, "She wants to eat you." And knowing that identical glares were trained on him once more, he continued, "Because she's a monster." He then started biting his nephew playfully and harmlessly. And while Haruo was busy squirming and laughing, Kisho looked up to smirk at his two brothers at the same time give them a who's-the-pervert-now look.

It wasn't long that they were at the receiving ends of longing looks and furtive glances- something which Haruo and Yuuhi would understand when they hit teens.

After making transactions, Chie bowed and left the Fertilizer-producing company. She hadn't taken ten steps when the son of the owner of the company approached her.

"I'm going to the central district so I was wondering if we could grab some coffee on the way, yeah?"

Knowing that her shift was over, she nodded. She smiled when the lad offered his arm. In camaraderie, she linked their arms.

That was how Akemi saw them as they crossed the street. And once again, he found himself reeling with the nasty feeling that surged in him.

Yuuhi burst out laughing as the ice cream cone on Akemi's hand was crushed. Haruo followed suit causing Yuuzuki to frown.

"Haruo..." he said.

"But uncle is doing it," the boy reasoned out, snapping Akemi from his morbid thoughts of what was the most satisfying manner of killing

"Sorry," he muttered. "Haruo, let's order another serving, shall we?"

After making their order, Akemi excused himself to the toilet to wash his face.

He was about to take his handkerchief from his pocket when somebody offered one to him. He looked up to find his younger brother.

"Are you here to check on me?" he asked. "I won't sneak out."

"Yeah. To make sure you will," the younger boy said. "I'm sure niisan would understand and we can explain to Haruo and Yuuhi."

"What makes you think I want you to do that?"

"What makes you think you don't? Despite what people think, you're easy to read."

Akemi sighed. "I'm beginning to hate perceptive people."

"And here I thought you already hate yourself for being silly," Kisho quipped before exiting the room leaving Akemi to question the purpose of the existence of annoying brothers.

When the five returned home, an exhausted Haruo and Yuuhi were asleep in the arms of Yuuzuki and Akemi respectively while Kisho carried theirs bags.

Seeing this, Yukina laughed as she took Yuuhi from her brother-in-law.

"Had fun?" she asked.

"Better than we thought," Kisho said.

"Good. I hope you didn't spoil them."

The three males automatically shook their heads.

"I'm leaving now," Kisho announced. "I'm off to meet my friends for a light spar. If I get lucky, I'd be able to see an eye candy between Kazushi and Shigure."

"Kisho, you get-"

But the boy was gone leaving a blushing Yukina and two very displeased sibling.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Chie almost tripped when she saw Akemi leaning against a wall of one building obviously patiently waiting for someone. Was it her? No way. Probably just a coincidence. She froze when blue eyes focused on her.

"I'll walk you home," the lad said with finality making the girl frowned but agreed anyway.

On their way, a lad approached Chie who recognized the guy as her frequent customer.

"I know this is sudden but would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow?"

Before Chie could say anything, a scowling Akemi answered for her. "No, she won't."

The girl raised an eyebrow while the other lad frowned. "I'm not asking you, Uchiha. And you have no right to answer for her."

Akemi took one step when Chie placed a hand on his arm. "Kiri-kun, I'll be glad to. Will you pick me up thirty minutes past eleven?"

The lad beamed and nodded before he excused himself.

Chie looked at the furious Akemi. "That was uncalled for."

"I think your agreeing is," the lad snapped. Why couldn't Chie understand?

An elegant eyebrow went up in reaction to his statement. Chie had been taught to remain calm and to control her temper but Akemi just really seriously make her mad beyond control.

"What right do you have to say that? When you had avoided me for one month then just show up to decide things for me!" Unshed tears made her golden hazel eyes glistened. "I had enough of people deciding for me!"

Why? Akemi wanted to know. Why did his heart break just to see her tearful?

He wanted to tell her that he had been visiting her without her knowledge but he couldn't bring himself. He didn't want to hurt her anymore. He was certain that if she knows about it, she would feel betrayed.

"I like you," Akemi retorted angrily and not the least bit romantic.

"I like you too but we can't continue like this. I want to know what we are."

Fear spurted within him. Their feelings were mutual so surely they were more than friends but... He was scared to admit that loud. He was scared of the power she had over him. She could make him do anything she wanted.

"I...I-"

Chie didn't miss the hesitation in his eyes and voice and tears gently flowed on her cheeks.

"I'm not pressuring you, Akemi-kun. I like you. I seriously do but I'm not going wait for you forever."

Akemi bent his neck forward when Chie stood on her toes to press her lips against his forehead in a sisterly kiss. Was she saying goodbye?

"Chie, I-"

"Take care. I'll see you soon if you feel like seeing me."

Akemi wiped her tears gently. "Chie, I'm leaving for a mission tomorrow."

The girl nodded. "Take care then and don't overexert yourself." And with that she left running, never looking back.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Chie leaned back instinctively as manicured hands slammed on the cashier desk. She looked up to find an angry girl.

"May I help you, ma'am?" she asked with a very professional voice.

"You! Prove your worth."

"Who are you to demand?"

"Five months ago, Akemi-kun said that he needs someone that doesn't need his protection. Prove that to us!"

Ah jealousy.

"Us?"

"All his fangirls," she snapped. She couldn't let an outsider take Akemi from them. Never. Even if the outsider was a blue-blood. "Tomorrow at two o'clock at the East training area, let us have a duel. Bring any weapon you like, hime-sama."

"I'm not-"

"Scared are you?"

Chie frowned at the insult. She made it sound as if she couldn't do anything on her on. She hated it when people make such assumption about her. What did they know about her anyway? "Fine. If you want a duel then you got it."

And the girl smiled.

_I'll show you, Akemi_, she thought. _And hopefully, during the duel, the royal bitch would die somehow. _

That late afternoon, the royal marched to a weapon store and carefully chose a naginata.

"Why would a gentle civilian want to buy this?" the old smith asked.

Chie smiled. "It's a secret, sir."

**-SasuNaru is love- **

And then the time for duel came. Despite the nervousness she felt, Chie walked to the agreed place gracefully, calmly and with chin held up.

When she got there, she found that there was a lot of audience made up of most of girls who the former royal assumed to be Akemi's admirers, villagers who had nothing better to do and gossip-mongers. She knew without a doubt that her defeat means humiliation and chances were it would reach her former country. Defeat was not an option. She tightened her hold on the pole then relaxed it. She took a deep breath calming her frayed nerves and did some mental conditioning.

Maeda snorted as she saw her opponent carrying a naginata. She thought that the weapon of her choice showed the other girl's lack of judgment. Kunais and shurikens were better than any long and heavy weapons. She shrugged her shoulders. It was Chie's mistake anyway and not her business.

Both ladies stood a meter or two from each other, Maeda with a grace associated with fashion-conscious kunoichi while Chie with the grace born and bred among royals. At the flutter of wings of a bird perched on one of the too many branches, the two moved.

From her weaponry pouch, Maeda pulled and threw kunais and shurikens in practiced ease and pinpoint accuracy.

Chie halted and with the same practiced ease she swung her weapon deflecting the sharp objects. But that or the obvious familiarity her opponent showed in wielding such weapon didn't faze the kunoichi.

She hid her sly smile because Chie only deflected her kunais. She manipulated the shurikens to attack from behind her. She was sure girls like Chie raised in spoiled riches would faint at the mere sight of blood, especially if it was theirs.

Without breaking their eye contact, Chie flipped her weapon and with a flick of her wrist, upsetting the weapons' course.

Maeda's lips thinned displeased that Chie was contradicting all her knowledge about royals. With a yell, she lurched forward then flipped to the sky as the former royal's blade came too close for her comfort.

Chie looked around noticing that her opponent was gone.

The kunoichi who had lightly perched on the tip of the naginata blade smiled. Now was her chance! She threw another kunai but the dark-haired girl immediately leaned to the side. Unbeknownst to Maeda, Chie's ears were sensitive to the distortion of the space and the buzzing noise caused by any weapons as they sailed through the air. She hadn't learned archery for nothing!

The royal-turned-florist turned her head just as the light-haired kunoichi flipped away from her position and while on air threw another kunai.

When would the girl learn that throwing kunai was futile? Chie wondered as her naginata slashed the air. Her eyes widened as she realized belatedly that she slashed the tag that was attached to the weapon. Oops...

She knew what it was because Akemi had used it once when he was escorting her. The paper was no ordinary explosive tag. It would still explode even when cut or damage because it thrived on chakra.

Chie put all her weight on her feet then leapt back just as the tag exploded. The force of the explosion blew her away and she would have continued sailing through if she didn't firmly plant her feet and plunged her weapon into the ground. After gathering her composure, she whirled her naginata above her head before she inclined it downward, the blade tilted upward and glinting dangerously under the sun.

"I'm not gonna let you take Akemi-kun from us!" she snapped as she lunged forward to give a direct attack.

"I'm not taking anyone from anybody," she replied matter-of-factly. It was an honest answer. Even when Akemi had confessed his feelings which were sincerely reciprocated, it didn't mean anything. Akemi had no plans beyond confessing. If he had, he'd have done it a long time because Akemi wasn't someone who dilly-dallies.

Chie fluidly brought her foot forward and swung her weapon quick and close enough to slash her opponent's bangs.

Maeda gasped at the audacity of such action. How dare her cutting her beautiful hair? This meant war! She distanced herself from her opponent, made three hand seals before cupping her hands and breathed into it. When she opened them, an iced dragon came out.

Ninjutsu, Chie's brain stated. From Ino, she had gathered that ninjutsu became physical through chakra manipulation so she wasn't really scared. Anything that had physical shape could be destroyed, this was her belief. As long Maeda won't use genjutsu, her defeat was not certain.

She ran forward, planning to meet the attack head-on.

"Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu"

And then a large fireball coming from the side defeated the dragon.

Both duelists turned to the side where the interruption came from. Like everyone else, they were surprised to find a very murderous-looking Akemi.

Akemi mentally sighed in relief that he had arrived on time. He wouldn't have known about the fight if he didn't pass by an alley on his way to the hokage tower and overhead two housewives talking.

Chie shrank backward as she found herself under a cold glare. In a futile effort to pacify the shinobi, Chie brought her naginata behind her back in a foolish and futile attempt to hide it and grinned.

"Akemi-kun, good afternoon."

That pissed Akemi more and in his anger, he gripped her shoulders and none-too-gently shook her.

"What the hell were you doing? Were you trying to commit suicide?"

"Of course not!" she replied as the lad let her extract herself from his grip. "I was fighting before you interrupted the battle."

"The battle you're sure to lose," Akemi snapped, unwisely insulting the annoyed florist.

"How would you know? You interrupted it, you arrogant man!"

The audience was amused at their verbal battle. Until now, they hadn't seen a girl who was arguing Akemi despite her obvious feelings for him. If it was anyone but her, she would have melted at the thought that Akemi had saved her.

Chie shifted her gaze to her opponent. "Come on!" she told Maeda. "Let's continue this duel so this man would see that I can fight and win without his help." She was about to sidestep when he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"As if I'm going to let you do it," Akemi said between clenched teeth. He spared Maeda a glare and coldly warned, "Hurt her and I won't hesitate to attack you with all I have."

His words stopped her cold and left her and the rest of his fangirls confused.

_I want to protect you with these hands… with this life and with every breath I take. I want to protect you. _

"What are you doing?" Chie demanded frantically. "'I need someone who doesn't need my protection; someone who I can fight with and not for.' That's what you said and I-"

_I want to believe but you always leave me confused and hurt. _

"Now is different! Because I-"

People became more attentive and held their breaths waiting for Akemi to finish his statement but the Uchiha lad had other plans. He tightened his hold on her and together they disappeared.

The silence of one particular area was broken by a dull poof as Akemi and Chie appeared. The lady was grasping Akemi's flak jacket as she took big gulps of air to stop her world from spinning caused by Akemi's speed.

_Akemi lay flat on the ground his arms and legs spread wide. The exhilaration of sparing against his otousan was receding and giving way to exhaustion. Beside him sat the Uchiha leader, resting at the same time staring at the starless sky. _

_"Akemi," Sasuke started. "Don't make her wait because waiting is slow torture." _

_The boy looked anywhere but at his father's direction. _

_"Always make things clear because if you won't both of you would end up hurt." _

_"But I'm..." he trailed off and instead of finishing his statement, brought an arm over his eyes out of embarrassment. _

_"Scared?" Sasuke stated more than asked. "Scared of the changes and the fleetingness of the moment? Fear is intense when good things are within our reach. It is fear that deprives us from our happiness. Stop living in fear, Akemi. Stop testing the water. It's now time to jump and whether you sink or float depends on you." _

_Sasuke looked at his son who was contemplating. _

_"Whatever you decide, say it clearly." _

"Chie," Akemi started softly but with determination. "I know you're strong and you don't need me but I want to protect you especially during your weak moments." _Protecting you is protecting my heart._ "I want to be the sword that will defend you and the shield that will protect you."

"Akemi-kun, I-"

_You've been reaching out for a limp hand for long but it's not limp anymore. Won't you take it? Had you grown weary? _

"Let's go out on a date. I'll pick you up right after your shift tomorrow."

"Eh?" A surprised Chie could only gape at him for few seconds before she scolded teasingly, "You can't decide such important things on your own."

"I assume that's a yes because I don't take no for an answer."

"You're the most annoying guy I met but I like you," Chie said between chuckles.

"I like you too dirty and all," Akemi replied as he started wiping her dirt-stained face with a clean hand towel. He chuckled as her face became flushed in embarrassment.

To be confessing their feelings when one of them was dirty... how unromantic but it was still a beautiful memory.

Ah sweet young love.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Sasuke opened the scroll left in their mailbox. It was a mail formalizing the punishment given to Kisho after the investigation and hearing. He opened it and let his eyes scanned the message. He sighed in relief when he realized that the punishment wasn't too heavy. For deviating from his mission orders and causing unrest within the civilians, Kisho was to serve guard duties and perform D-class and within-the-village-only missions for three and five months, respectively. He rolled the scroll back and stared at the blue sky, a hand shielding his eyes from direct sunlight. His hair flutter around as a breeze blew by. Through the wind, he sent his thanks to all his ancestors watching over his children especially Kisho during his investigation.

* * *

That's a close of Akemi's struggle and Kisho's investigation. I don't understand why the font size is big. I don't like it. Is there anyway to adjust this? 


	74. 台風

**Sorry to keep you guys waiting. It's early winter here now and I can't press my cellphone's keys very fast when my hands are close to being frozen. As much as I want to wear gloves, the keys aren't big enough for my glove-wearing fingers. And why am I using cellphone to write my stories? Because I'm working so while on my way to work, I use my travel time in writing each chapter.**

**Next chapter update will be two-three hours later so come back if you want to. Reviews are always welcome. They make me feel warm. Thank you, everyone.**

**Thanks to XKunoichiofthePaintbrushX for the few grammar corrections.**

* * *

**Chapter 74: His lie**

Kisho murmured incoherent words as he continued his search for the Ancient Taijutsu chronicles he knew his family had stacked in the underground store room. He had been searching for it for four hours straight now and he was close to frustration. He needed the old book to improve his close combat skills to pass the screening for hunter-nins.

He cursed because he had so little time to get ready now before the screening would take place. With the last five months serving his punishment he had almost no time to practice and improved.

_Let me find it, please._

And somehow a kind-hearted god heard his plea and after many times of kneeling down, bending, stretching and sticking his chakra-powered feet against the ceiling, wall and bookshelves, he finally found it and let out a soft yell.

He hugged the book because his finding it meant his chances of passing had increased. He immediately left the room and before he closed he door, he heard stuffs tumbling and hitting the floor. He paused, a small part of him wanting to go back and arranged it before his otousan would find out and give him an earful but there was little time and he could arrange when he comes back from practice. With a shrug, he left the mess he created and hope his otousan won't find it.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke walked into the underground store room knowing that if books weren't found in the library than it was stack somewhere in the room. He walked deeper into the room, a hand trailing along the books lined up.

Where was that article anyway? He wondered. The last time he saw it, it was gathering dust on the farthest bookshelf of their private small library. But that had been almost two years ago and the probability of Naruto moving it here was very high.

Sasuke gripped the edge of a bookshelf as he stumbled over something. He looked down and frowned. A small shoe box had fallen from the shelf and spilled its contents- scrolls on the floor. One scroll had unrolled itself exposing its contents. The man was curious when he eyes gaze over complex symbols and diagrams written in Naruto's handwriting. When did the blonde write this?

He picked it up and completely unrolled the scroll but they were all diagrams and drawings which Sasuke couldn't understand not only because they were complex and had no explanation but it was written hurriedly and messily like it was a draft.

He hunkered down and started unrolling the other scrolls. His frown deepened as each scroll he opened were nothing but in-depth explanation about the forbidden sealing jutsu and other jutsus Sasuke didn't know. What was Naruto up to? Was he making a new technique? It couldn't be that his seal was breaking because as far as he knew his seal won't break. Weaken, yes but break? Was that even possible?

Lying under the bottom of the shoe box was a thick scroll and its knot that beckoned Sasuke to unroll it. With almost shaking hands, he undid the knot and slowly opened it. The first text he saw a date dating three years ago. As he continued scanning the paper, he realized that Naruto was trying to come up with a jutsu to nullify Yondaime's technique, freeing Kyuubi.

Color drained from Sasuke's face as he reached the end of Naruto's research. His wife created a jutsu but the price for it to work was Naruto's life. He looked at the scroll on his hands and gripped it tightly. Was this the reason why Naruto had spent more hours in the office saying something about mountains of work? Was this the reason why he the blonde looked tired and sometimes secretive? No, Sasuke wasn't wrong. This was the reason. The cause. Naruto's lie. Naruto's secret.

Anger and pain of betrayal flared into him. He shot out from the room and bounded the stairs in hurried steps.

Akemi and Kisho stopped their conversation with Naruto when a murderous Sasuke entered the kitchen. Without taking his eyes away from his wife's confused face, he ordered through clench teeth. "Leave."

Both boys knew order when they hear one.

"But otousan-" Kisho started but was cut off by Sasuke repeating his order in a very cold voice.

Naruto threw an assuring smile to their children before saying, "Why don't you follow what otousan said? Go to Yuu-chan's place while I'll try to handle his problem."

Kisho and Akemi shared a look before nodding and left albeit hesitatingly.

"Sasuke, what is wrong? Did something happen?" Naruto said. Before he could take one step, his spouse threw the scroll at his direction, hitting him before it bounded to the ground and exposed its contents.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise before he looked at the livid man. "How did you find-"

And the question made Sasuke turn purple with his anger. Naruto had meant it to hide it from everyone else, including him – his husband. "You... You never wanted me to find out… not until YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD AND KYUUBI FREELY ROAMING AROUND THE PLACE!"

It took for the blonde few moments to realize that Sasuke assume that he would perform the technique. "No! I'm not gonna perform it. Not after knowing that I'd-"

"Liar! Then why would you keep it?"

"Sasuke, believe me. As much as I want to free Kyuubi… I can't-"

"Believe? What a word! I believe you while you're lying about paper works and top-secret scrolls when you're… God! Fuck you, Naruto!" He couldn't believe it. Here he was busy protecting Naruto while the latter was throwing his life away for a demon that had been with him since he was a child. He knew his wife was considerate, accommodating, sweet and sacrificial but he never thought he'd reach this far.

"I'm sorry but I-"

"Sorry? You expect me to believe that you're sorry?"

A perplexed Naruto moved forward to comfort his pained and livid Sasuke and reached forward but the latter slapped his hands away causing cracks on his heart.

"I don't hate you, Naruto," Sasuke began and he could see relief flooding the blonde's face but he wasn't yet finish. "I loathe you with everything I have."

And Naruto froze and at the background he heard something breaking. Blindly, he watched his spouse walked away while he was busy registering the fact that he had been rejected. After many years of spending time together, he had been rejected and all because Sasuke thought he was going to abandon him.

Stupid, stupid beloved Sasuke.

"Hurry!" Akemi urged his three siblings as they strolled towards the backdoor leading the kitchen. Even after spending time with his nephews, he couldn't shake the bad feeling he had. He didn't like the aura his otousan was giving off. It was as if… He shook his head. No, his father won't do that. He loved their chichiue so much that he won't do such crime.

He swung the back door open, his morbid mind flashing images of blood bath but all they saw was their blonde father standing rigidly like a statue and the only thing that set him apart from the marble display was that he was crying as he continued staring at the empty space where Akemi remembered their otousan stood.

"Chichiue!" Yuuzuki said before he grabbed his shoulder. "What happened?" He asked slowly as if talking to a child.

Kisho saw the scroll and read it. He didn't understand anything not even until he read the last part but like Sasuke, he had jumped to conclusion that Naruto was going to abandon him. Without any word, he left.

"Hey, Kisho! Where are you going?" Miki asked as she placed a glass of water on the table for Naruto to drink.

The youngest Uchiha just glared over to their chichiue before disappearing.

"Why you disrespectful child!" Akemi growled then picked up the fallen scroll. He scanned it then frowned as he too read the last part and jumped to conclusion. And within a second, he disappeared in a poof.

Miki cursed wondering what was in the scroll that made her brother leave. "But you won't do such thing, right Chichiue?" she asked fearfully after finding out. Yuuzuki took the scroll from her and read out of curiosity.

Naruto slowly shook his head. "Of course not. After arriving to that conclusion, I abandoned all thoughts of freeing him. He understood. But your otousan thought that I would… Sasuke hates me now!"

Yuuzuki and Miki looked at each other, realizing that their blond father hadn't realized that Akemi and Kisho had jumped to the same conclusion.

"It's okay," Yuuzuki said, squeezing the older man's hands.

"No! No! No! It can't be okay because Sasuke loathes me. God! What should I do?" Naruto asked while wringing his hands. If he listened to himself, he would be embarrassed of how childish he sounded.

"Whatever otousan said, it was anger speaking. They'll realize that you won't do such things," Miki said then realized her mistake.

"Them?" the man echoed before looking around registering who were gone. With fresh tears running down his cheeks, he bawled out.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke didn't realize that people were parting away to give him space as he marched down to nowhere. He was just so mad that he needed to get away. Unbeknownst to him, behind his back money exchanged hands as a lot of people started betting on how long it would take for the couple to get back and who would initiate the first step.

He reached the training grounds he frequented as a genin and started beating the stumps, working on his anger.

"Such a lovely display of fiery spirit!" Lee exclaimed as he bounded over to his friend. "I, Rock Lee, shall train together with you." And with that he started beating the other stump with an added flourish he and his mentor could only achieved. He wasn't aware the state Sasuke was until he heard the other man muttering curses with his wife's name inserted between them once in a while. He paused and looked over at Sasuke, a worried look on his face. A hurt and angry Sasuke meant a hurt and crying Naruto. Should he call help from his wife and her friends?

_Sakura… Four-zero emergency. _

Akemi without regard of his clothes, jumped into the river and under the water surface shouted his pain. Kisho, on the other hand, had changed himself into an adult and went to the bookstore to purchase all porn books that caught his fancy before going to the Hokage Mountain and hid there.

Sasuke, Akemi and Kisho didn't return for dinner or on that night and Naruto cried himself to sleep. Yuuzuki didn't return home, accompanying Miki in watching over their blond father who once in a while would cry in his sleep.

Yuuzuki reached out to brush away strands of hair from Naruto's face. "Don't worry, chichiue. They'll be back."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Makoto's twin brother opened the door and stared at Kisho. "Good morning, Kisho-kun. Come in."

Kisho murmured his thanks and greeted his friend's mother.

"Have breakfast with us, Kisho," she strongly suggested making refusal difficult, not that the boy would after having no dinner the previous night.

"Hey, what's up?" a half-naked Makoto greeted. The still fading talisman text on his upper body told the boy that the amethyst-eyed teen had just received another upgrade.

Makoto tilted his head sideward silently telling his friend to follow him upstairs to his room.

"Sorry about the mess," he said as they entered his room.

Judging from his friend's look, Kisho knew his friend hadn't slept yet. The process of upgrading talisman took almost two days.

"Sorry to bother you," he said while Makoto donned a shirt. His obsidian eyes landed on the family doll set he borrowed from Kazushi for his painting model.

"Don't bother apologizing," the purple-eyed boy replied then arched an eyebrow as he noticed his friend glaring at the dolls. Silently, he watched as the blonde snatched one doll and placed it on a window jamb far from the rest of them.

"In a family, there's always someone who would betray or die. No family is perfect. No family would stay together forever."

"W-what's wrong, Kisho?" the older boy asked. He had never heard his friend so cynical and so pessimistic that it scared him.

With a twisted smile, the other boy replied with pained calmness. "My family is fucked up."

"Huh?"

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Ryouji gave the sulking Akemi another glance. After screaming his feelings under the water surface for an hour or so, Uchiha spent the night at his friend's place borrowing his clothes and sleeping on the sofa. But he hadn't touched his breakfast yet. He didn't feel like eating. The text at the bottom of the scroll haunted him and flashed behind his eyelids.

"Want to talk about it?" Ryouji asked between chewing.

"No."

"Oh." He shrugged his shoulders, "Suit yourself." He knew his friend won't talk if he didn't like to no matter how much he would force the latter.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke came home late morning making sure Naruto was off to work by the time he arrived home. He had spent the night sitting on a branch, unable to sleep due to his anger and fear.

Seeing the text had awakened and intensified his dormant fear of being left behind once more and the onslaught of the feeling had made him irrational. He wasn't naïve, he knew that as ninjas they could die anytime or that they would die naturally out of old age but not once did he think that one of them would die like that. Would Naruto do it? He asked himself and answered a resounding yes because the blonde was kind to a fault.

Right now, the fear was still strong that forgiving Naruto was not a possibility.

Despite what Sasuke expected, Naruto didn't come home that night and the next few nights after that.

The rift between couples had also caused a rift among siblings. Akemi and Kisho had indirectly accused Yuuzuki and Miki of not loving their chichiue enough to give a damn that their blond father was going to sacrifice himself. In return the other two had called them shallow-minded and paranoid. Surprisingly, they just resorted to glaring at each other with their sharingan-activated eyes rather than beating at each other.

As a result of the unfixed problem, Sasuke had closed himself off, Naruto had put on his cheerful mask, Yuuzuki who was known to have an unlimited patience was close to losing his cool, Akemi's mood had become quicksilver, Miki glared at anyone and anything and Kisho's green jokes had a tang of morbidity and sado-masochism.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto wiped his clammy hands against his black pants trying to remain calm. But how could he when he would be meeting Sasuke and his team a minute or so later? He clutched his stomach when the fluttering butterflies were replaced by stomping dinosaurs. God! Why was he nervous? He knew Sasuke enough to expect that his husband would have the look of a statue- unreadable and stoic, never giving his feelings away.

_I loathed you with everything I have._

That had sting and each passing day, its sting increased.

A knock on his door warned him of his visitors.

"Good morning," he greeted in fake cheerfulness while taking a quick good look at Sasuke who was completely stoic.

His greeting was echoed by Sasuke's subordinates. Ken took a sideward glance at his captain before he took the mission scroll.

"It's an A-class mission but never let your guard down, okay?"

They nodded before bowing and leaving.

Naruto watched as Sasuke was the second to the last to leave.　He leapt from his chair, ready to call his husband just as Hiko gently closed the door.　The guards stationed outside the office were surprised when Naruto 'poof'ed before them.

"Is there something wrong, hokage-sama?" one guard asked as the hokage's blue eyes dimmed with sadness.

Naruto who had been disappointed to find the hallway empty, shook his head before walking back into his office.

_Take care, Sasuke. I'll wait for your return._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto was at a certain restaurant surrounded by his close female friends after he had been dragged by the scary Sakura and threatened by the aggressive Temari.

"I don't understand why I'm invited in your girl's outing," he grumbled.

"We want to discuss about your problem with Sasuke," Ino said.

Naruto grimaced. Did these women have a lot of free time that they could butt into somebody's marital problems? He should demand more from their performance at the same time assign more missions to them if they always have this kind of free time. Besides, he didn't feel like discussing the cause of their fight, knowing their reaction. "There's nothing to discuss."

"We want to help," Hinata said quietly admitted. They couldn't stand to see two of their male friends miserable. They wanted to help and Naruto was always the one who was approachable and welcoming to accept their help but perhaps not today. Was it that bad?

"I'm grateful but we'll be okay." _I think._ "It's not like this is the first time we fight or the first time he hates me with a passion." He tightened his hold on his chopsticks remembering that Sasuke loathed him. Such feeling was stronger than hate.

"But it's like your world is ending," Junko commented frankly.

"That's what they are. They go at it like it's the eve of apocalypse and fight to bring their world closer to its end," Temari quipped.

Naruto blushed. "Thanks for your lovely opinion, guys," he said with a hint of sarcasm making the women frown. "But I can't do anything when he's still boiling in anger."

"You know where to go when things go worse, right?" Sakura implicitly telling her friend they'd be there for both him and his spouse.

The blonde male nodded. "To the cliff-"

He was cut off as fists rained on his head.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Walking back towards his office, Naruto grumbled about women's lack of sense of humor as he rubbed the lumps on his head. It wasn't as if he was really going to jump off the cliff.

**_You're the one with a bad timing_**, Kyuubi said, **_saying such tasteless joke when they were serious._**

But his host wasn't listening anymore as he stood in the midst of the crowd, staring at Kisho who was walking towards him. "Kisho," he murmured when his son was within hearing range but the blond boy didn't pause nor recognized his father's presence instead he passed him by.

As he continued standing reeling from the fact that he had been ignored by his own son, Naruto had never felt as alone and unwanted as before.

Was he now a stranger?

_Please don't ignore me anymore._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

That night, Naruto received a visit from Yuuzuki at his sleeping quarters at the hokage tower. The Uchiha heir was bringing supper Yukina made.

"I heard you've been eating nothing but ramen," Yuuzuki said as he started laying out the food.

"It's not like I'm gonna die," Naruto replied, still reading reports.

With an exasperated sigh, the younger Uchiha snatched the documents from his father's hands. "You're going to eat what my **pregnant** wife cook for you."

"I'm not hungry," the blonde replied in a whiny voice. Yuuzuki glared while Naruto pouted childishly, their roles completely reversed. Finally, the latter gave up and started eating.

"Aren't you coming home?" Yuuzuki asked without any preamble. Although he was no longer staying at the main house, he still felt it was wrong for his chichiue to stay away. Without him, the house looked dull and cold.

Never establishing eye contact with his oldest son, Naruto answered. "What home? I no longer have one." Sasuke had rejected him coldly and angrily. His skin still tingled from Sasuke's slap.

"Chichiue, don't be ridiculous. Otousan didn't file for a divorce."

"Yuuzuki, there are things worse than divorce."

An elegant eyebrow rose silently demanding for an explanation but the blond man just shook his head.

"But both of you are still wearing your rings." The younger man's voice held a note of desperation

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "He could be wearing the ring because his hand had gotten use to its weight."

The dark-haired man gaped at him unable believed that such reason came from his father. Was he that broken? If that was the case, then he would gather all the broken pieces and paste them together no matter what happens. Wasn't that the reason why he was named 'Yuuzuki'? To be their light when darkness blanketed them… the light that would guide them back to each other.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yanagi, Hiko and Ken exchanged glances as their captain wordlessly excused himself to his room of the inn they were staying for the night. Sasuke wasn't in his worst foul mood he was just… not in the mood. He was empty as a shell.

"You know the reason?" Yanagi asked as they leaned forward in secret conference.

Both of her companions shook their head.

"It's so unlike them not to get together within a week," Hiko commented. Out of fun, he had placed his bets that they would make up shortly and he lost. But he wasn't the only one. Majority of those who bet were. Damn! So much for his money but he could get it back with missions. And with their captain still mad, he'd be avoiding the hokage and that would mean more missions for his team.

"It must be that serious. Those two are really troublesome. They always rock the village with their fights albeit unconsciously."

Oblivious to his subordinates' conversation, Sasuke lay down on his bleach-scented bed. He placed a hand over his heart wondering why it was still beating. Hadn't he thrown Naruto away before the latter could abandon him? Few minutes, he fell into a restless sleep of melodious laughter, whispers and butterfly caresses.

_Don't leave me. Please._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki, Kisho and Akemi looked up from their breakfast as Yuuzuki burst into the dining room followed by Fuurin. One look at their very serious brother and they knew he meant business.

"I know you have a tight schedule," Yuuzuki started in his no-nonsense voice. "But we need to settle things before it gets worse."

Akemi scowled while Kisho grumbled and was about to stand up when he noticed that he couldn't move. Akemi realized it too and tensed. Yuuzuki took a seat in front of his three siblings, one leg crossed over the other. He didn't look arrogant but in-control and confident.

He looked at his two brothers. "I'm aware that you can break from the shadow bind if you really wish but if you do that, I won't hesitate to resort to another measure." It wasn't a threat but a warning. And although Kisho and Akemi were more powerful than him, the oldest among the siblings had the experience. When there was no struggle from his foolish little brothers, Yuuzuki smiled, pleased. "Good. Now let's talk like the good siblings that we are."

At that statement, all the other occupants rolled their eyes. Fuurin shook his head. Really, that Yuuzuki. A good brother never asks a friend to bind his siblings. But then- according to Yuuzuki it was a matter of life and death.

"What made you think that chichiue would perform such technique?" he asked directly.

"He never gives up. He always gets what he wants no matter what and regardless of what happens to himself," Kisho answered with conviction. Their chichiue was an idiot through and through. He was an idiocy and determination personified – the worst combination.

"He won't create it if he won't perform it," Akemi argued. In his opinion, their father wasn't the type to do things just to flaunt his skills or capability. Everything had a purpose and a reason.

"But he didn't know of the outcome until later on," Miki told them. "And when he did, he changed his mind. That's why he put it in a box."

Akemi glared at her. "Don't be stupid, Miki. All of us here had the experience of making jutsus and we had a good idea what the results were before we even finished creating them. This is no different and you're overlooking that."

"And if he really changed his mind, then why keep it? Why not burn it? Unless, if he also planned to" at this Kisho paused to draw quotes on the air, "change his mind later on."

Dishes rattled as Yuuzuki slammed the table. "Enough of your foolishness! Chichiue will die alright."

His three siblings gaped at him, their eyes as big as saucers.

"Yuuzuki-nii," Miki breathed. Did he know something that they don't?

The Uchiha heir understood his brothers. Both were close to and dependent on their blond father so a life without him was something they couldn't imagine… couldn't accept or refused to accept. Anything or anyone who would threaten their father's existence or give them a flash of their worst nightmare would receive their unquestionable and passionate hatred even if it was their chichiue himself. But they especially Akemi had to grow out from that almost unhealthy dependence because one day their chichiue would be gone because life was transient.

"What do you mean?" Kisho asked, fear plastered on his face perfectly.

"But you said awhile ago that he won't perform the technique," Akemi said, bewildered.

He leaned forward to perch his chin on a wrist while a finger lazily traced patterns on the wooden surface. "There are other things that will drive a person to suicide. Like..." he trailed off, letting each words settle heavily on their minds. "To name a few... pain, intense loneliness, despair, hatred especially coming from the family."

Akemi's and Kisho's eyes widened. Would their chichiue do that?

Fuurin mentally applauded Yuuzuki for the effect of his words.

"And what you feared the most would come true. All thanks to you." He stood up and announced, "And now, I have to take Haruo to his school. Then, start taking care of chichiue's funeral preparations because in my opinion, his death would be very soon. " He looked at his friend and signaled to let his brothers go. "Thanks, Fuurin. I owe you one."

The Nara member smiled, "noted."

And the two left followed by Miki leaving the other two Uchihas with their thoughts. Even though they were no longer imprisoned, the two couldn't find strength to move. Was Yuuzuki telling the truth or was he just being scary? Their chichiue was strong. No situation had completely broken him so surely he wouldn't kill himself because of the current situation, right? But somehow, they found themselves disagreeing to such question.

What would it feel like staring at their chichiue's corpse knowing that it was them who had killed him although indirectly? What would it feel like knowing it was them who made their own nightmare into a reality?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Naruto-nii," an exasperated and worried Konohamaru repeated again trying to gain his brother's/leader's attention.

"Not now," Naruto replied. "After this document."

"You've been saying that over and over again but despite what you said, you never give me a chance." The document Naruto was signing when he said that for the first time had been sent already.

"It couldn't be help. Documents are flooding in not to mention requests for our ninjas."

"I know that but you should rest and eat too. You're not a robot."

"I have plenty of time to do that when I'm no longer a hokage."

"Naruto-nii!" And Konohamaru didn't resist the urge to stomp his foot. When the blonde growled the younger one wondered if he went too far.

"You just made me commit a mistake on writing a kanji. This isn't a draft anymore."

"Sorry?"

"Whatever," the blonde replied as he started rewriting his letter.

Konohomaru didn't cringed when he heard a breaking sound a telltale that another coffee mug had slipped from Naruto's hands. Such accident had been happening every now and then for the last three months that he wasn't the only one who had gotten used to it. Even the ANBU guards who should have barged into the room for any unusual noise had stopped investigating every time they heard such sound.

"It was empty," Naruto said defensively.

His secretary sighed. "I'll get you another mug."

"You're the best secretary I ever have," the older male chirped.

Konohamaru rolled his eyes as he left the office. _As if you have another one._

Naruto swiveled his chair and massaged his nose. He had to admit it. He was tired not only because of how he was slaving himself but also of another thing. He placed a hand on his stomach and sighed. He should go to Tsunade for an examination.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After being informed by Konohamaru to proceed to the conference room One for debriefing, Sasuke's team marched there. They looked surprised to find the lazy genius waiting there.

"Office-in-charge," Shikamaru explained, an unlit cigarette stick hanging loosely from his lips. "Hokage-sama is off to someplace." He surreptitiously took a glance from the Uchiha but found him as stoic as ever. How troublesome. "Sorry to tell you guys but you only had seven hours of rest because you'll be escorting hokage-sama to Suna."

While Sasuke seemed to be displeased, Hiko was ecstatic to have another mission.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto jolted from the examination bed the moment he realized he had fallen asleep. He scrambled from the bed and ended up falling. He opened his eyes to see an upside-down Tsunade.

"Still clumsy as ever," Tsunade commented.

"How long had I fallen asleep? You should have woken me up."

"Just two hours," the eighty-something year old woman with an appearance half of her age, reached down to flick his tanned forehead. "Besides, it's not my fault that you fell asleep during examination."

"So how am I?" he asked as he followed his doctor to her office.

"Fine?"

Tsunade took her seat and looked at her ward. "How fine is your 'fine', Naruto?"

The blond man chuckled at the blandness of her voice. "Y'know 'fine' as in I'm as fit as my condition allows me."

"And what is your condition?"

Naruto gave her a pleading look. "Y'know what I mean."

Tsunade did because aside that she was his doctor she had become his confidante after Jiraiya's death.

"We should increase your dosage sometime next month. Other than that, you're fine."

"I'm glad."

"Naruto?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled as he rubbed his stomach.

"Won't you reconsider it? I'm worried about your family's especially Sasuke's reaction if they'll learn about this. It will be worse than them finding your research."

"Keeping the research a secret was a mistake but keeping this... I'm doing this for the bastard's sake."

Tsunade frowned. "When are you going to learn Naruto that sometimes what you thought to be good for your husband isn't actually good for him?"

"I can't just approach Sasuke and say 'hey bastard, do you know that-' Haven't you learned during your incumbent term as a hokage that you need timing?"

"Don't use that tone on me, you brat!" Tsunade snapped.

"You should respect your leader, old hag!"

"Well you should respect your elders!"

Naruto sighed. They were too mature for arguing over respect. "It's not yet the right time for them to know."

"And when is the right time? When you're already-" She was interrupted by the grumbling sound coming from Naruto's stomach.

"Ramen is calling my stomach. See you, Tsunade old hag." Then he disappeared before the woman would continue where she left off.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke was hungry but it seemed his heart had psyched him to crave for ramen only- the reason why he was walking towards Ichiraku. Honestly, he started missing his blonde but distancing himself was a must. He wanted to lessen the pain at the same time prepare himself for a life without his wife. But he missed him, everything about him. And the best thing that could lessen what he was feeling was ramen because it tasted Naruto. Or was it Naruto tasted ramen? He could no longer differentiate the two.

"Thank you. Please come back again," he heard Ayame's voice just as he parted the shop's noren then froze as his eyes met blue ones. At that moment, their surrounding faded as they stared at each other, daring one another to move; to do something.

With sheer determination, Sasuke looked away from the eyes that were trying to suck him into what he thought to be misery.

_If you're going to leave me then I won't..._

Sensing that his husband won't take him back at that moment, Naruto started moving and walked passed him, his shoulder brushing against Sasuke's. "I'd still wait, bastard," he whispered for the dark-haired man to hear.

Sasuke shivered at the slight contact and Naruto's scent that wafted through his nose. He whipped his head to look over his shoulder willing to call the blonde if he was still near him. But his wife had long disappeared and he wasn't ready to give chase.

_Give me time._

"Would you like to have more naruto?" Ayame slyly asked as she started preparing the Uchiha's order.

"No, one is more than enough for me."

Despite the problem between Sasuke and Naruto, they were able to maintain a professional attitude towards each other as they together with the rest of the hokage escort traveled to Suna. However, once in a while, the blonde would give the dark-haired man a look that was similar to a puppy begging his master to take him back. Of course, Sasuke was aware of that and was annoyed at the same time amused.

The moment they arrived, Naruto immediately went to see Gaara.

"It's amazing you managed to arrive on time," Kazekage commented as a way of greeting his friend.

Naruto pouted. "You're cold. You should be happy to see me after two months, sixteen days seven hours five minutes and eleven seconds."

"You don't have to count. And for your information, it's not eleven seconds but eight."

Naruto looked dumbfounded before grinning brightly. He was about to go and hug his friend when he noticed something sticking out from the stacks of paper delivered to the kazekage's office earlier ago.

With a mischievous grin, he snatched it making the redhead frowned.

"Oooh... a love letter," Naruto singsong before gently opening the envelope. He never even bothered to ask his friend for permission. Besides, Gaara never opened or read any of his fangirls' mails.

Gaara who was very privy with his privacy reached out to snatch the rose-scented paper but the blonde who anticipated such move, leapt away from his chair, putting a distance between them.

"Give that back or else..." Gaara warned as he took a threatening stepped forward, closing the distance between them. His hand snaked out, gripped one tanned wrist then jerked back just as Naruto was about to flee. The blonde end up tripping and took the surprised Gaara with him to the floor.

And Sasuke took that moment to knock then walked inside. With one look at the compromising position both leaders were in, the captain's cold anger intensified. With any words, he walked out and closed the door, making sure to add enough force to rattle its hinges. He didn't believe even for a second that Naruto was cheating on him. Naruto wouldn't dare, he knew from the very bottom of his heart and the redhead was too honorable to steal somebody's property and ruined a family.

Naruto immediately pushed Gaara off and ran to the door just as pain shot through his abdomen making him fall to his knees while wrapping his arms around the painful area.

"Naruto! Naruto?" Gaara called out, worry evident in his voice seeing how pale and sweaty his friend's face had become in a split second. "I'm gonna call a medic-nin so just-" he trailed off as a hand gripped his arm.

"No need. It's nothing serious. Just an upset stomach," Naruto gritted out while taking deep breaths.

"Liar."

"No, really. Sasuke and I had a serious fight and hadn't eaten for the past two days then ate a lot the next day. My stomach was surprised."

The kazekage gaze at his friend assessing the latter's answer. "So it's not Kyuubi?"

"Hell no!" he denied vehemently. "It's my body. My stupid body. But Kyuubi is now trying to get rid of the pain."

Gaara wordlessly carried the other man to the couch.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

While wondering when did the hokage's marriage became everybody's affairs, Sasuke walked along the tree-lined pathway that would lead to the deeper part of the garden. His steps were determined as he drew closer to his target.

Surprisingly enough it was Temari who had convinced him to give the blonde a moment to explain. Even now, the feisty kunoichi had no idea the cause behind the fight but was perceptive enough to rule out the usual causes behind any couple's fights. It couldn't be jealousy because there was nothing for them to be jealous about and it couldn't be insecurity with the way those two were spending time with and showering each other with affection.

"_I'm not blind, Uchiha. I can see the pathetic puppy looks your blonde is giving you. Won't you hear his explanation? You can't judge him without hearing his side as it is unfair on both of you. It might be a lie or the truth but you can only tell when you hear him out. That would be better than just jumping into conclusions, don't you think?" _

The statements weren't much but it was enough to encourage Sasuke to approach the blonde. Besides, he missed him and the state of their marriage was driving most of their friends to become their marriage councilor. He paused as he saw his wife forlornly standing, one hand pressed against a boulder as he stared ahead of him. The blonde looked so lonely that it made the Uchiha leader wonder if he too looked like him.

Naruto's heart slammed against his chest the moment Sasuke stood beside him. He took a sideway glance and found his spouse looking vulnerable and approachable.

"Sasu-" he gulped as obsidian eyes focused on him.

"Why did you do that, Naruto?" Sasuke quietly asked like a whisper of the wind.

"At first, I-I never meant to keep it a secret. I would tell if anybody would ask me but nobody did. And as things get riskier and more dangerous, I couldn't help but hide it knowing anyone who would find out about it would stop me." He closed the distance between them to clutch Sasuke's flak jacket. "I don't want that because I wanted to complete the research... to know that I could make it that far." He looked into black eyes, his own self reflected on lucid pools. "Please believe me. I would never ever abandon you because I still remember the promise I made to you on the night you made me as your own."

_Even if the world shatters... even when everything around us falls apart, I absolutely wouldn't leave nor betray you. You will have me forever so please, Sasuke, take me as yours… mark this body as yours._

"Will you please, please take me back?" He felt pain started creeping in him as Sasuke lightly placed his hands over tanned ones and slowly pulled them away from his jacket. The dark-haired man could see sincerity brimming and flowing from pitiful blue eyes and knew no actor could even accomplished that. The fear was still there but he needed Naruto too much. He loved Naruto too much to continue hating him.

"Take you back? Don't be ridiculous!" And emptiness settled in the blonde's heart. This was it. This was the end of them being a couple. "I never threw you away."

"Huh? But you loathe me." But there was a flicker of hope that started burning within him.

"With everything I had but back then, I had nothing."

Naruto was confused. He even wondered why he couldn't understand Sasuke in moments when he desperately wanted to. But somehow he realized that it didn't matter because Sasuke's mouth started making sweet love with his. God! How thirsty and hungry was he for this man?

Sasuke let out a deep moan as the man in his arms kissed him back with increasing passion. He wondered if he had been on drugs or something to be able to survive this long without Naruto's warmth and taste.

A second later, Naruto was pressed against the boulder unmindful of its hard surface. His right hand gripping dark locks while Sasuke's left hand was planted near the blonde's head supporting most of his weight while his other hand was entwined with Naruto's in an affectionate clasp. He slid a leg between Naruto's and shivered as the blonde mewl and arched his body.

They broke the kiss for a much-needed air but their faces were still too close.

"Would you mind if I'll take you here right now?" the Uchiha murmured frankly.

"I would mind more if you won't."

And such answer made the other's man's remaining blood to shoot to his groin. Without a second notice, he dove for another deep kiss while his left hand snaked under Naruto's spandex top.

Their pleasure-haze brain took a long to register that someone was desperately clearing his throat. Desire in their eyes was replaced by irritation at the disturbance.

Hiko instinctively tensed to flee when two pairs of eyes glared at him.

"What?" Sasuke hissed. He never bothered to take his wandering hand from under the shirt nor did he step away from the flush and pliant body of his wife.

Hiko cleared his throat again, this time for real. His throat had become itchy after trying to get his superiors' attention for quite sometime now.

"Dinner is about to start and Kazekage-sama explicitly ordered me to tell both of you, especially Naruto-sama, to be present."

"Thank you, Hiko," Naruto said a little bit breathless while his hand slid to settle on Sasuke's nape. "Captain and I will be there shortly." His swollen and wet lips curled into a small seductive smile as hot lips trailed on his neck.

"I understand, lord hokage." Hiko took his leave while holding his bloody nose.

Even when the ANBU member had left, Naruto still had his head turned to let Sasuke nip, lave and suck his neck. His hand pushed his husband closer silently telling him to suck harder.

"We should stop and join the rest," the blonde murmured against an ear before his tongue traced its outer shell.

"But I already have my dinner and dessert before me."

"I'm sure it isn't what our host has in mind." And to stop Sasuke's protests, Naruto pressed his lips against his.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"We're home," Naruto's voice rang clearly within the Uchiha manor as he and Sasuke arrived from Suna.

"Hokage-sama..." Yuuhi screamed the new term he learned as he ran towards the main door. He was immediately scooped up into Naruto's arm. Haruo who seemed to learn more about Uchiha finesse walked at his own pace and stood in front of his grandparents his hands behind his back.

"Welcome home."

Sasuke reached down to tousle the boy's hair.

"Chichiue," Akemi started.

Naruto looked at him and Kisho then smiled. "It's okay. Everything is fine... NOT." He screeched the last word causing Yuuhi to belatedly cover his ears. Naruto swept his gazed over the place. Everything looked like it was clean hurriedly. He could even clearly see the accumulating dust on a corner of one window. The cleanliness was not above his standards. Definitely not. "If I'm gone for a year, you'll probably be buried alive with dusts," he commented as he set Yuuhi down. He looked at his husband. "You'll cook while I'll clean. Kisho, you help otousan while the rest of you help me."

Except for Akemi and Sasuke, the rest saluted before they went to do their tasks.

_Here is home._

**TBC**

* * *

I feel bloated today. A family friend dropped by and gave me French fries among others. I wanted to refuse but that would be rude so… . I'm grateful but…

Noren- it's a curtain used by shops to mean that they are open for business.

Fuurin- he's the son of Shika and Temari. This is his second appearance.


	75. 嵐

**Author's notes: You'll probably have a hard time reading this one because of the format I'm using. I inserted flashbacks (with no warning whatsoever) everywhere so it is up to you to identify them. Flashbacks are in italics and so are the character's thoughts. Good luck. I know it's troublesome on you guys but I wanted to try this kind of formatting.**

* * *

**Chapter 75: Storm**

_Miki loosely tied her wet hair in a bun and checked the knot of her yukata before leaving the dressing room of an onsen in a village near Konoha. Her friends' laughter together with Shouhei's was what greeted her when she reached outside._

_Shouhei raised a hand as a matter of greeting._

"_What are you doing here?" Miki asked, surprised._

"_My team is taking a break here too. I didn't know you're here until I met Kazuo and Shuu."_

"_Lovely coincidence, right?" an ecstatic Shuu commented. "Are you going to watch the festival too?"_

_Shouhei nodded._

"_Then you should join us," Kazuo suggested and Miki seconded the motion._

Miki groaned and steadied herself as her world spun slightly and bile rising in her throat.

"Miki, are you okay?" Sasuke asked worriedly as he stood from his seat. Noticing the worry on her family's faces, she grinned reassuringly. "I'm fine."

"That's what you've been saying since a week ago," Naruto said. "We have to get you examined."

"I told you that I'm fine," she snapped causing her parents to raise an eyebrow. Now, why was it familiar? Sasuke and Naruto wondered. "I'm just tired." She yelped when she was swept off her feet.

"I'm carrying you to your bed then" her otousan said and without waiting for an answer, did just that.

"Perhaps she's coming down with flu?" Akemi said.

"Wouldn't she know considering that she's a medic-nin?" Kisho asked.

"In any case, we have to convince her to have an examination before it's too late," the older one said.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

_Together with everyone else, the Konoha ninjas cheered the performers from the sideline at the same time sprinkled the participants with water as was the tradition of the festival._

_Two hours later, as a commemoration of the dance parade, a firework display was held. The group sat somewhere on the upper part of grass-covered slope. A thunderous applause erupted from the crowd as the first firework exploded in the inky sky, its dots of light forming a blooming rose before they fell like glitters._

_After few more breathtakingly fireworks, Shouhei's teammates had excused themselves while Miki's friends had long been gone. The Hyuuga member dropped a light kiss on her shoulder the moment his girl leaned against his chest._

_Miki knew how to read the purpose behind the gentle gesture. It could be as a greeting; a farewell or a permission to kiss her. She tilted her head and said, "You don't have to ask, y'know." As much as she appreciated the gesture, she sometimes found herself irritated because it was just uncommon and bordered near brotherly affection._

"_I don't want to surprise you," the man replied, his breath fanning her face._

"_You won't." But truthfully, the intensity of his kisses surprised her. There was just something about it that made every fiber of her being strain against him. She moaned as Shouhei proceeded to plunder her mouth, claiming it as his territory. A hand automatically settled on the Hyuuga member's nape, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss._

_A second or so later, Miki was kneeling between his legs and cupping his face, giving as much as she got._

Miki stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, apprehension becoming her. She could no longer pretend nor could lie to herself. The symptoms... her condition was obvious but she still needed proof.

She stood up and locked her door so no one would walk in or interrupt her. She then took her shirt off and lowered her jeans and underwear to expose her lower abdomen. She pressed her faintly glowing hands against that certain area.

_Then they broke apart, flushed and breathing heavily. When Shouhei looked up, he found answers to his silent questions written in her blue eyes. Their mouths met again as hr who was close to losing logic, teleported them to the hotel room he was staying._

_Miki just made an approving sound as she found herself sandwiched between the soft mattress and her boyfriend's body. She giggled breathlessly as she felt his teeth tugging her right earlobe then gasped as a hot mouth made a sensual trail on one side of her nape._

"_Shouhei," she breathed._

A soft cry came forth from her lips as she felt a presence inside her. She sunk to the floor the truth too heavy for her to bear. What would her family and Shouhei would say when they'd find out about her pregnancy? She curled into a tight ball, crying while thinking of worst case scenarios.

_Please don't hate me nor disown me. Please._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Confused and scared, Miki couldn't help but distanced herself from her family. She was not ready yet for them to know. However, she knew she would have to tell them personally before they'd hear it from the others. But if possible, she wanted to wait for Shouhei who was on mission before she'd inform them.

Out of worry which had increased when she vehemently refused to go see Sakura, Naruto quietly observed her when she was within his range of vision. And although he was not very observant, he was still her mother and was gifted with maternal sharpness. Days later, Naruto went to her room.

Naruto paused midway on knocking her door. How would he go about it without accusing his daughter? God! This was so awkward especially if he was wrong and was just being paranoid. Miki didn't look the type to do it at such an early age. He shook his head dispelling those thoughts. Miki was absolutely not pregnant. Her condition was anything but that.

_Ne, Miki?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

_The Hyuuga male shivered at that voice and then shivered some more as a hand came in contact with her obi. Whatever that was hidden beneath her clothes, he knew it would be heart-stopping and penis-engorging. "Miki," he murmured as their eyes met. His girl just nodded and slowly, he untied her obi and parted her yukata. His eyes dilated at the sight of her body. She was more beautiful than it was on his wet dreams. "You're breathtaking," he said totally in awe. "And you're mine."_

_Hearing that possessive voice made her skin tingled and she reached out to him, wanting to cover her nakedness with his body. Perhaps her boyfriend understood because he lowered himself to her._

Laughter in the kitchen faded as Miki covered her mouth and fled to the bathroom. She ran past Sasuke who had just arrived from mission.

"Dobe, what's wrong?" Sasuke asked the moment he saw Naruto who was following their daughter.

"I don't know. She was fine until..." he trailed off as they heard retching sounds. When they reached the toilet, their daughter was already washing her mouth.

"Miki, let's get you examined," Naruto strongly advised as he took a step forward.

"I'm fine," she replied while wiping her mouth dry.

"No, you aren't! Whether you like it or not, we're going to see Sakura," Sasuke stated with finality and dragged her along the hallway, Naruto following them.

_Shouhei... what should I do?_

"Let go!" Miki shouted, slapping her otousan's hand away- an act that had surprised the two males.

_I can't... not anymore._

Wringing her hands, she said, "I need to talk with you. It's very important."

_Please... please otousan, chichiue, don't hate me._

They had never seen their girl so nervous before until now and dread filled their entire being. They went to the family den and sat there. Miki was in front of Sasuke and Naruto. The girl wiped her suddenly clammy hands and took deep but soft breaths.

_God, are you there? Won't you help me make them understand?_

"I'm pregnant," she choked the words out.

_Miki felt the heat radiating from his lean body and wanted that. Shyly, she parted his yukata. She blushed when her boyfriend arched an eyebrow._

"_I want to feel you," she explained making the other smile._

"_You will," he replied before dipping head to trail his tongue on her cleavage._

"What did you say?" Sasuke said.

"I'm pregnant." And this time, tears were running down on her cheeks. Apprehension was swirling inside her.

The confession echoed within Sasuke's head before silence settled down. His mind and heart shut down and froze leaving him suspended and like a statue.

"Miki, that's a nasty joke or excuse so that-" an in-denial Naruto was cut off when the girl shook her head furiously.

"No, I'm serious. I'm one month..."

_The blonde gasped as one nipple was enclosed by his mouth and she dug her hands into his mop of dark hair when his tongue swipe around the tip. She could feel something coiling within her stomach and its heat spreading through her nether region. She felt she was in the danger of sublimating and her grip on his hair tightened demanding for more at the same time begging to stop afraid that she would vanish if the intensity continued._

"_Shouhei," she breathed while raising the other side of her body wanting him to give her other nipple his undivided attention._

Pain and anger.

"Who did this to you?" Naruto managed to choke out through the anger that was rising within him. The idiot who had rape her girl would die by his own hands.

"Who? To?"

"Who raped you?" he snapped in a shaking voice his desire to kill almost filling him up. Nobody would get away from such crime.

"It wasn't rape. I..." she trailed off, hesitant at the same time letting her blond father realized that she wasn't a victim but an ardent participant.

"Say it! And clearly." Miki didn't, did she? She was just protecting the criminal because she was being threatened, right? RIGHT?

_Shouhei's logic and reason had fled him a long time ago the moment his girl told him she wanted to feel him. The way she said it shyly and breathlessly, made him want to take her right there and then with no foreplay but he held back. Control was the only thing that he had and the sounds the blonde was producing were making it evaporate. After giving equal attention to her now very erect nipples, he continued moving downwards, nipping here and there careful to leave discreet marks._

_A hand trailed downward brushing her skin the hem of her panties before he moved it farther feeling the silkiness of her underwear. His hand dipped downward and glide against the wet area of her lingerie. He couldn't help but rub against what was hidden beneath the cloth, teasing it _

_and making it produce more liquid and hotter._

"On my latest vacation, I met him-"

"His name, Miki. I. want. his. name." He reached across the table and cupped her hands between his. "He won't get you. We'll protect you from him."

Miki shook her head and withdrew her hands away from her chichiue's. Why was he treating Shouhei as a criminal?

"I did it with Shouhei." She swallowed the apology that almost came out from her lips as Naruto paled. She couldn't be sorry because guilt or regret was the last thing she would feel for the wonderful thing that happened between them.

Shouhei... the Hyuuga gentleman... Miki's close friend...

When did things escalate between them? Were they dating or just went straight to bed?

He had seen the two spending a lot of time together but it wasn't an uncommon sight thus he had been on the impression that they were friends and were not dating. Wait.

He felt another jab of pain of betrayal plunging into him.

_Instinctively, she parted her legs wider while sobbing at the pleasure that was close to rocking her lithe body. She arched her hips as Shouhei quickly rid the only remaining obstacle to her stark nakedness._

"_Miki," the man breathed taking in the sensual scent produced by her womanly folds. "Miki... feel me."_

_Even if she didn't want to, she would because every nerve of her body was sensitive to his ministrations and to his voice. She gasped, shivered and closed her eyes when a finger traced her slit from one edge to another before it dipped into her very hot and wet cavern._

Afraid of the conclusion her chichiue came to, she said, "He was gentle."

And that statement triggered his imagination to send images of two figures moving as one on the bed of a poorly lit room, sharing heat, swapping body fluids and exchanging incoherent sweet words. At the back of his mind, he hoped it was on a bed and not against a wall, on a table or a grass-covered soil because-That thought was replaced by something else.

"People would think you slept with all guys you dated. To them, you're a whore," Naruto said while cringing at his own words.

That was a slap to her. Was he also thinking that she was a whore too? "I don't care because it's a lie. I'd bear everything because I love him."

Loss.

Naruto slammed a hand on the table. The sound was loud but it didn't reach Sasuke who was within his little world light years away from the real one.

"What does a fifteen-year-old know about love?" he demanded hotly.

_You're too young to be a mother. You're too young for all of this… Miki…_

_Why do you judge, chichiue?_

"You're wrong. I'm not like both of you who waited for many years before you know love in each other!" She shouted back then stormed outside leaving a pained Naruto behind.

_Shouhei couldn't hold back the groan that spilled from his lips as he felt how slippery and welcoming it was. Damn. Would he last long or would he come the moment he would slide himself inside her? He took his boxers, finally freeing his straining and weeping cock. He massaged her inner thighs before moving in between them. He took a moment to lick his inner thighs before dropping a kiss on her nether region. _

Naruto reached his hand out to where Miki used to stand then dropped it. He clutched his chest.

_What kind of pain is this? You're too young to leave._

He looked at the still dazed Sasuke but no comfort came and he couldn't give one as well. In his anger, he swung an arm and sent a vase flying towards the wall before burying his face into his shaking hands.

_It's not supposed to be like this._

­**-SasuNaru is love-**

Yukina had been breastfeeding her third son- Akihito when she heard angry shouts coming from the main house but due to the distance, she couldn't make out the words being exchanged. She stood up and looked through the window just in time she saw her sister-in-law bursting out from the manor. She then knew it was another fight between fathers and daughter. She sighed.

"Okaasan, can I go see grandfather and grandpa?" Yuuhi asked.

"Not now, dear. They're quite busy. Why don't you help me look after Aki-chan?"

Yuuhi pouted.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"_Miki," he said and kissed her forehead. Even if it was a torture on his part, he slowly pushed in. "If it's too painful just hold onto my back. I'll share your pain." He kissed her deeply as he pushed through her barrier. Her heat and tightness was driving him mad. The pain caused by her nails digging into his back was nothing compared to hers so he bore it all. He looked at her closed eyes and caught a tear with his tongue._

_Miki felt like she had been torn apart and Shouhei's long and thick organ made the pain more uncomfortable and unbearable. She continued clinging to him, drawing strength from the source of her pain. Could she continue despite this pain? She silently screamed for her muscles to relax quickly and the more she demanded the more worried she become that she would never accommodate her lover and the more she panicked._

_Looking at how distorted her face was with pain, Shouhei realized that he was too much for her. "I'm sorry, Miki. I'm going to pull out now." He was about to when she tightened her grip._

"_No!" she protested almost in a shout. She looked at him pleadingly. "Let me adjust. Please."_

Miki ran as far as her legs could carry her then stopped as her belly ached or was it her heart?

_What does a fifteen-year old know about love?_

She let out a scream towards the sky who responded by pouring rain all over Konoha whether it was out of sympathy or anger, she didn't know. She sunk to her knees, hugging her own body.

"Chichiue, you idiot!" she muttered. Just because she and Shouhei didn't hate each other's guts, fought all the time, tried to kill each other in the Valley of End and she didn't chased after him to the ends of earth and to hell and back, didn't mean she didn't know what love was.

_Was it a crime to bear the child of the person you love? If so, then why are there children? If so, why did you have me and my brothers?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

On Yukina's request, Yuuzuki hurriedly went to the main house after he arrived home. With the all lights off the main residence, he wasn't sure if anybody was home. He stepped inside through the back door and fumbled for the light switch. Following the sobbing sounds he heard, he walked into the family den, turned the lights on. And the sight of Naruto crying was what greeted him. He immediately walked towards his chichiue, never realizing his otousan was there until he almost tripped over a leg. He frowned while wondering what had happened to make them like this.

"Otousan? Chichiue?"

Naruto looked up and immediately reached out to his son.

"Yuuzuki... Miki..."

Did something happen to his sister? Was she captured? But she wasn't on mission.

"What's wrong?"

"She's carrying Shouhei's child."

Yuuzuki went cold while Sasuke crashed down from his comfort zone.

"Shouhei?" Yuuzuki choked out. What the-? When did-? How did the guy manage to get past their guard especially his? Oh yeah, he was Miki's close friend and they had let their guard down. Damn.

"A Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked coldly. Both ANBU captains stood up.

"No, wait!" Naruto called out. "Shouhei is on mission and so are his parents. I don't want anyone else to know about this."

"Where is Miki?" the Uchiha heir asked.

"She left after we quarreled. Yuuzuki, please find her. I knew she won't listen to us. Please?"

He nodded. "I want both of you to calm down so you can settle things."

Sasuke glared at him. "There's nothing to settle."

_You're dead, Shouhei._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

_It was a bit ironic to the Hyuuga member that it was her who was begging and not him. Ironic but it made him happy beyond words. He pushed the blonde back to the bed and did nothing but showering her with kisses._

_After a long moment when the pain had subsided into a dull discomfort, awe crept within her. The fullness she felt... it was amazing how one organ could make her feel complete and loved. When she gazed up at her lover her eyes were full of wonder. She smiled at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. "You're wonderful," she whispered before she pressed her lips against his._

_Shouhei took the gesture and compliment as a go-signal and he started moving, letting her adjust at the same time stoking the fire of their passion which had turn into a flame the moment he entered her._

_Miki started moving to his rhythm making it theirs. She could feel something within her… something Shouhei touched every time he plunged deep within tingle and sensations that were beyond words spread through her entire being. She wanted more of that and whispered her desire against his lips._

Mao tapped her foot as she patiently waited for her former student to speak but it seemed all she wanted to do was drink the hot tea she had served. But that was understandable because when she had chance upon Miki she was already drenched, pale and shivering. Without question, she

had dragged her to her apartment, tossed a towel and a set of clothes before pushing her into a room.

"So..." Mao drawled while rocking her chair back and forth. "What troubles you?"

Miki was scared of all those people who loved her to hate her, to be disappointed of and be disgusted but her teacher wasn't everyone. She didn't love her nor had high expectations of her. Unlike her family and friends, Mao existed in her life to bring her down. And with the situation and her condition, it was safe to seek out her enemy rather than anyone else. With a confidence and pride that were never there, she informed her former teacher.

Mao would have fallen backward if her balance wasn't perfect. "And?" she asked even though she had an idea how furious, no, livid her parents were. And things would turn worse when her brothers especially Kisho would know. No Hyuuga would stand against Uchiha males. The consequence of their action would be the annihilation of the whole Hyuuga clan. Not all if Miki would give birth to that child but could she? The girl may be strong but her reproductive system hadn't fully developed yep.

"I don't know. I no longer know what to do," Miki confessed. She had been confused and her parents' anger didn't help.

"Miki, only you can decide what to do but I'll give an idea where this situation is probably headed to."

The blonde nodded although she was hesitant to listen because Mao always had a pessimistic picture of things.

"Your family would talk to Shouhei before killing him."

Miki paled but she found herself agreeing. She had to do something to save her love.

"They'd probably disown you or force you to abort the child."

_Shouhei closed his eyes, no, his eyes automatically closed when Miki wrapped tanned long legs around him, drawing him close, pulling and pushing him to his sweet goal. He could feel the tight coil in his lower abdomen close to snapping. He was almost there and so was Miki judging by her heat. Unfortunately, he couldn't come inside her. He knew he couldn't... not yet._

"_Shouhei, come inside me. Let everything out within me," she said between the straining sound she made. "I'll be okay. It's not yet my time to ovulate."_

"_Miki..." He trailed off as his girl bit a shoulder leaving a telltale mark._

"_Do it. Fill me up." If it was any other situation, she would have blushed or to be more exact such sentence wouldn't come out from her lips. But she was intoxicated with desire and wanton became her just as madness became Shouhei._

_Miki cried out as orgasm engulfed her. Few more quick thrusts and Shouhei joined her in bliss. Not wanting to crush her with his weight, the male gathered her in his arms before he lied down on the bed. He looked at her and smiled realizing she had fallen asleep._

A hand immediately lay on her belly. She also had to protect the proof of their love. Their? It didn't occur to her until now that perhaps her love was unrequited unlike her like or that Shouhei didn't want a child after all hadn't he tried to practice withdrawal? It was her idea for him to come inside only to realize belatedly that she miscalculated. Shouhei would definitely think she had tricked him.

"What's wrong?" the older kunoichi asked as she panic on her face.

"He won't have the child."

"What? Why?"

"Because... Just because."

"You don't make sense."

"Will you please meet Shouhei tomorrow and get him here?" Miki asked. She had to make him understand. She held her teacher's hands, "You need to get to him before they would."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Mao grumbled as she went to answer the door just to stop the doorbell from ringing more. Whoever was at the door at this godforsaken hour would definitely hear from her. She flung the door open and her colorful words died swiftly at the sight of a scary Yuuzuki.

"Miki," he said coolly and without preamble. Although it was just his sister's name, the way he said it had more than one meaning. It was 'I know she's here.', 'I'll see her.', and 'Lie and face my anger.'

What could Mao do but stepped aside and invite the Uchiha who was showing his true self in.

A bathrobe clad Miki chose that moment to step out from the bathroom. She froze mid-step and their eyes met.

"Miki," Yuuzuki said with no hint of patience. He had to admit it was clever of his sister to hide in the lair of her so-called enemy. Again, that one word meant 'I heard about your situation and I'm not pleased.', 'What the hell are you doing?', 'You made parents worry.' and 'I'm here to bring you home.'

"Oniisan," Miki murmured. It was 'How did you find me?' 'Why are you here?' 'Don't come near me.' and 'Whatever you do, I won't go back.'

Yuuzuki just arched an eyebrow and appeared right in front of the blonde who at the same time was taking a step backward to flee.

She let out a short cry and as an automatic self-defense response, vines snaked out from the sleeve of her robe. Yuuzuki had anticipated the reflex and burned the vines with his flaming right hand. And before Miki could react more, her brother had swiftly hit her nape rendering her unconscious. As she was slipping into unconsciousness and falling forward, she looked at Mao with pleading eyes.

_Please get to Shouhei._

Yuuzuki caught his sister and swung her into his arms making sure no unnecessary skin was exposed. He then looked at the other kunoichi whose face remained blank. He bowed silently apologizing for the trouble and the ashes she had to clean and then he disappeared as quietly and swiftly as the wind.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke, Naruto, Akemi and Yuuzuki stood in Miki's room as Sakura carefully examined the female Uchiha who was still sleeping. The four males attentively watched Sakura's facial expression which remained neutral, giving nothing away.

"She's fine," Sakura said professionally. "She and the fetus are not in danger as of now." She looked at them one by one wanting them to understand the situation. "Considering that she's still fifteen years old-"

"We know," Sasuke interrupted. He crossed his arms in front his chest to be intimidating not that he wasn't.

"Her reproductive system isn't fit enough to carry a child yet. Later, her life as well as her baby's would be put at risk. I-" she stopped almost sharing her biased opinion. "I want to speak with her when she wakes up."

"So you're suggesting abortion?" Akemi stated more than asked. The inquiry added to the heaviness and tension of the atmosphere.

"I want to speak with Miki," she reiterated.

"But we have the right to know," Sasuke snapped.

"Only when the subject had been informed."

In anger, Sasuke stormed out of the room. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Miki, his princess was pregnant at the age of fifteen?! If he had foreseen the future, he'd keep an eye on his little girl twenty-four-seven until she was old enough.

_Miki, it isn't supposed to be this way. _

At the back of his mind, he looked forward to see his daughter's children but not this early and definitely not like this. It wasn't betrayal that settled heavily within him as much as loss and anger. He couldn't wait for Shouhei's return.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"How is Sasuke taking all of this?" Sakura asked Naruto. Both of them were drinking tea in the kitchen. Naruto had invited Sakura longer as it was almost time for him to start cooking.

"I don't know. I couldn't reach him. He also didn't want to speak with me about the matter. He's keeping everything inside while refusing anything to enter," he confessed. Weren't they bearing the same cross? But with Sasuke being so distant, he felt the cross ten times heavier.

"Yuuzuki and Akemi are being like him also. Does Kisho know already?"

The blonde shook his head. "Not yet but he'll spend his two-day break here while waiting for his qualification to proceed to the last part of Hunter-nin training. He'll be coming home this afternoon."

The two fell silent for few minutes, both of them thinking. They were certain that Kisho would go wild because he was the most protective one of his sister. Naruto had to inform gently and explain... explain what? How Miki conceived the child and why she was going to be at risk later on to the point that the possibility of her dying was high.

_Miki..._

With blue eyes that were almost uncanny due to fear, he asked, "Miki isn't going to die right?"

"I'm going to do everything I can to keep her safe and alive."

He shook his head and repeated the question.

Seeing the tears Naruto was trying to hold back, Sakura held and squeezed his hands. "Naruto, giving you an assurance isn't something I can do especially with this case."

"Sakura-"

"I can only give you all my efforts as a medic-nin and as a friend." And she hoped this time it was enough because the last time she handled early pregnancy, her patient died due to hematoma. She mentally shook her head to get rid of that haunting experience especially when the girl's face started morphing into Miki's. She stood up, pressed a sisterly kiss on his forehead before she left.

Naruto sat there blankly staring at the wall, his steaming tea completely forgotten as he tried to grapple with the truth. On impulse, he laid a hand on his belly. After all the trouble, pain and efforts he had in bearing and giving birth to Miki, he couldn't lose her girl just like that. No, he wasn't ready. He would never be ready.

Sasuke walking into the kitchen brought Naruto's attention on him.

_Why are you far?_

The silence was broken by the sound of chair scraping against the floor. The Uchiha leader slightly stumbled at the body that suddenly and roughly pressed against him before arms loosely wrapped his slim waist.

Naruto perched his head on a stiff shoulder. "Sasuke," he breathed. "I need you."

Silence.

"We can't go on like this. Tell me what you feel. Share it to me." _Make me feel that I'm not walking alone on this cavalry_.

"I feel the same way as you do," he replied coolly.

"I know but I want you to say it." Then he whispered, "please, Sasuke."

At that voice, the dark-haired man slightly leaned backward, placed a hand on tanned ones, closed his eyes and silently took a deep breath. How would he say it? What to say when everything he felt complimented and contrasted each other. It was maddening and afraid to be washed away, he was forced to create a wall as strong as he could. Now, how to put these

feelings into words without jumping into the middle?

"What do you feel, Naruto?" he inquired just as quietly.

The blonde opened his mouth to speak but realized he had no idea how to say it much less where to begin. One emotion after another crashed against him like waves that never ceased and merged with the others to create a whirlpool.

Sasuke took his wife's silence as his incapability to express too. "You see, no words are appropriate for them. They could never become words." He felt Naruto moving his head in agreement and he thought it was over until the blonde asked again.

"What was the first thing that came to your mind?"

There was no confusion or hesitation when Sasuke answered. "Abortion."

And his answer was carried to the hallway where Miki was. She froze mid-step, her thirst immediately forgotten as the ominous word echoed in her head.

Tears fell on the wooden floor as fled the house. She maybe fifteen years old but she was a parent now and she would protect her child.

Sasuke felt Naruto tensed and said, "Don't get me wrong, Naruto. I don't want anyone to die but..." He would choose his daughter over his unborn grandchild.

"Why can't we have both?"

"Stop being naïve. You know you can't. Haven't you had enough experience to teach you that?"

"But-"

Sasuke whirled around to grip his shoulders. "Miki is our top priority," he stated with finality.

"Always have been and nothing would change that," Naruto replied.

A cough from the doorway interrupted them.

"I can't find Miki in her room or anywhere in this house. I even checked at aniki's house," Akemi said tartly.

Sasuke and Naruto paled.

_When Miki woke up, the first thing that registered to her was soreness. She turned to the other side of the bed empty but it was still warm._

"_Are you okay?" a voice asked._

_She turned around to find a boxer-clad Shouhei standing few steps away from the bathroom._

_Shouhei._

_She blushed at the sight recalling how that body was intimately and perfectly pressed against hers. He was no longer her boyfriend but her lover. What a very intimate and sweet term._

"_Just sore but it's not something a medic-nin can't cure within six minutes."_

_Shouhei sauntered and sat on the edge of the bed. Miki stretched her body unmindful of the eyes that drank the sight. She gazed at him with a touch of smile on her face while a pinkie finger lay against one edge of her tempting lips._

_Desire flooded through the man. His girl was a seductress albeit unconsciously. He combed her hair with a hand. "Should I take that as an invitation?"_

_Blushing, she tugged him down and with her breath fanning against his face and her lips moving against his, she replied, "take it anyway you want."_

"_I'll take it as an invitation then." And he closed their distance._

_And the rest of the night was swallowed by the flames of passion..._

**TBC**

* * *

**Next update will be on Tuesday if I can manage to get up early, post the story before leaving for work. If I can't, then expect an update on Saturday. Thanks.**


	76. 嵐ＩＩ

**Hello. Here's another chapter. Enjoy. I woke up six in the morning to get this ready because my sister and I have the same rest days. . **

**Standard disclaimer applies.**

**Thanks to XKunoichiofthePaintbrushX for the few grammar corrections.**

**Chapter 76: Arashi II**

"It's okay," Miki murmured as she rubbed her belly. "Nobody would take you away from me." She stared at the sky. The clear blue sky was a complete contrast of what she was feeling inside.

After leaving her house, her feet carried to the deeper part of the forest. She still had no idea what to do after taking a rest in the forest. Leaving Konoha was not an option because she had no scroll that had the hokage's approval of her departure and guards could easily tell a fake one from an authentic. She had no idea where to go. With the absolute power and jurisdiction in her chichiue's hands, her parents' reach was far. She had no place to run and she could hide for just a little while. She was trap but at least she won't go down without a fight. Her instincts had brought her to her element.

Sasuke, Naruto and Akemi fervently searched for Miki and anyone who saw and heard them asking if saw the blond female had immediately assumed that another fight had erupted between fiery daughter and protective parents. Nobody thought anything other than that and they didn't bother correcting it.

Naruto met Sasuke in the forest and the two nodded at each other. This was their last place to look and if their daughter wasn't there then she must be in one of the areas Akemi was patrolling.

Miki's eyes snapped open when she heard her name being breathed. It was her otousan standing few meters from her together with her chichiue. They had come to get her and take the growing life inside her. She stood up with a dangerous look on her face. Threatened more than ever she attacked. She no longer had a friend in her family.

"Miki," Naruto called out while striding towards her.

Sasuke knew Naruto felt more than saw the sharp vine that shot out beneath the ground he stood. He also knew that the blonde could handle it but he moved to save Naruto out of condition response.

"Come closer and I wouldn't hesitate to hurt you… kill you even," Miki said coldly. _Otousan, chichiue, please stop this. Don't make me do this._

Both parents frowned.

"Miki, stop this foolishness," Sasuke said while his hand hovered above his weapon pouch.

"I'm not going to abort my child even if you beg me to."

"You heard… But Miki," the Uchiha leader trailed off as vines grew around Miki, forming a thick and monstrous barrier.

_Mommy's going to protect you, love_, she mentally said. _They will never get close to us._

Naruto looked at his bleeding right hand and cursed. He looked at Sasuke who had an arm injured. They were in trouble knowing they could never go all out against their girl. In fact all they did was a close combat and they didn't use any ninjutsu afraid that they would hurt Miki indirectly or directly.

"Damn fucking plants," Sasuke said as he moved forward and slice the vines over and over again but they just kept on growing, only giving them a glimpse of their girl with her sharingan activated. She was crying while looking at them rebelliously. Then he frowned as he noticed something. Before he could look over his shoulder to ask if his blonde notice it too, he heard the latter shouting his name telling him to get ready.

Naruto pushed himself into the air, twisted his body and landed upside down on his hands on Sasuke's shoulders. "Be careful, bastard," he said as he unsheathed Sasuke's sword which was plastered on the man's back.

And the dark-haired shinobi knew Naruto also noticed as he heard those whispered words. He watched as Naruto in one swing, trimmed the vines way too short giving Sasuke the time he needed.

Using the four seconds Miki's vines would need to grow, Sasuke with his speed jumped over the vines.

Miki let out a gasp as her otousan stood in front of her.

Sasuke gripped her wrist making her grimace. "If you intend to eavesdrop then you should have stayed longer to finish the rest of our conversation. We promised to Sakura to take you to her."

"NO!" she screamed, too weak to struggle. She focused her tearful blue eyes to her otousan. "Please don't take my child."

Sasuke frowned.

Miki leaned forward, pushing her face against his kimono. "I beg you. Please grant me this wish." She took a sharp breath as a hand hit her nape and she found herself falling into oblivion again.

_Please don't._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki tensed the moment she opened her eyes and what greeted her was the ceiling of her bedroom. Had she fallen asleep longer than they had moved her from the hospital to her bedroom after they took her baby.

"You're awake?"

She turned her head to the left and saw Sakura. "My baby… where is my baby?"

The pink-haired medic-nin gave her a funny look. "Your baby is inside you, Miki-chan." She watched as the girl placed a hand on her belly and smiled realizing that she still had her treasure.

"You won't take my baby, will you?" She asked as he sat up on her bed.

Sakura took a seat on the nearby chair. "I'm here to inform you of your condition. As a medic-nin, you know that at your age your reproductive system hasn't fully developed. Being pregnancy at such age means complications."

"I know."

"And the possibility of complications arising is increased with the fact that you were born one-month early. Your chances of dying is high."

"But even still… even if I would die… I wanted to give birth."

"Miki…" Sakura looked desperate now.

"If chichiue could give birth to us all then why can't I? I'm a female." She was closed to shouting now.

"…"

"Ne, Aunt Sakura, is it a crime to be pregnant at this early age? Is it a crime to give birth?"

The older woman shook her head. "No but it is a crime if you put your and your baby's lives in danger. Can you raise the child, Miki? Motherhood doesn't end when you give birth. It starts from there. You give everything up for your child. Your baby is the first priority. Sacrifices on your part will be made. Can you go through all of that? Can you give up your dreams?"

"I will… I'll try."

The girl was stubborn, Sakura realized. She held her hand and looked at her blue eyes. "You're a minor and as such your parents are responsible of you and your child. I want you to talk with them. They have the right to have a say on this matter just as Shouhei-kun. Understand?"

"But they wanted me to abort… Can't you convince them?"

"As a doctor, Miki, abortion is a recommendation when it comes to your case." Sakura inwardly cringe as tears started falling like rain from those blue eyes.

_Don't I have an ally? Why do I feel so alone? Why doesn't anybody love my child? Why? WHY?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shouhei took a stepped backward when Mao interrupted his walk with his team towards the hokage tower.

"A word, Shouhei-san. This is important. It's about Miki, " she hissed seriously before she disappeared. At the mention of his girl's name, he waved at his teammates and followed the sadistic kunoichi.

"What about Miki?" Shouhei asked while wondering why they were at the most discreet of all discreet places. It was as if they were hiding.

"She is carrying your child."

"Excuse me?" he whispered. Did he hear it right? No, he must be mistaken. He was certain that the explosion that happened during his latest mission had damaged his hearing or the lack of sleep had made his brain short-circuit.

"Your girlfriend is pregnant," Mao repeated slowly as if she dealing with a moron.

No, he realized he was wrong. He heard it correct and understood it well. Weak-kneed and with blood rushing through his body like some flash flood, he leaned against the nearest tree and took a deep breath trying to remain calm.

A lot of questions came to his mind. Stupid questions of when, how and why floated and sickeningly flashed before his eyes in loud colors. It was silly actually because he knew the answers to those.

And then like a bolt of lightning, the consequences of that night reality hit him. Suddenly, he was scared for Miki, for himself, for them and for their - at this he gulped, baby. What a single Uchiha could achieve with their temper... Hell hath no fury like that of an Uchiha.

_Miki..._

"WHAT?!" he shouted belatedly.

"She's pregnant. Or are you saying that you're not the father of her child?"

Shouhei took a deep breath. Everything was happening so fast. Miki was pregnant? With his child? But didn't she say that it… My god! He had impregnated his fifteen-year-old girlfriend who happened to be the daughter and sisters of powerful and elite ninjas.

"How is she?"

"You're in deep shit, man," Mao said but there was a sadistic glee in her voice. "Her parents are after your blood and so are his two brothers. Kisho still doesn't know. You should be glad about but Miki told me to tell you to avoid the Uchihas for now."

"Where is she?" He had a perfect idea how mad her family members were and she would feel so lonely.

"Didn't you hear what I say?"

"She's suffering. I need to get to her."

"She'd suffer more if you'd end up dead. Better go to your house and think of a better plan rather than barging into the Uchiha compound." When the lad was about to protest, she added, "That is Miki's desire so you better follow it."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki was in the family den again together with her tensed parents.

"Aunt Sakura had asked me to inform you that I decided to give birth to this child," she started.

Sasuke scowled and clenched his fists while Naruto gripped the edge of the table.

"You can't be serious, Miki. Didn't Sakura tell you the risk-" Naruto was cut off as their daughter interrupted him.

"I'm serious. If you risk your life for us then I could do the same. This child is a proof of my love for Shouhei-kun."

The two males cringed. Loss was too much for them to accept at that moment.

"Can't you accept that?" Miki asked pitifully. "That I want to be a mother at this age for this child."

"I-I'll go get us something to drink," Naruto said and hurriedly stood up. He went to the kitchen and with a blurry vision, started preparing what he promised to get.

Awkward and heavy silence fell on father and daughter. Miki fidgeted while Sasuke remained frozen in his seat.

"Otousan, won't you say anything?" Miki asked. Since her secret was revealed, the Uchiha leader hadn't spoken to her except that time at the forest. "Otousan-" She was interrupted as a hand slapped her cheek.

"You're a fool," Sasuke said. "I'm a fool too because I couldn't do anything. I couldn't even save you."

The blond girl shook her head. "I'm sorry for being this kind of daughter, otousan but I-" She stopped when the door slammed shut. "I'm sorry for being selfish."

Sasuke stormed into the library and leaned against the door. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He wasn't supposed to feel anger nor dread. He wasn't supposed to feel murderous towards the father of his unborn grandchild. He wasn't supposed to feel frustrated that he couldn't kill that man because then Miki's child would have no father.

_Don't you understand, Miki? It isn't supposed to be this way._

He and Naruto would have been happy. There won't be secrets to hide. There won't be any life-threatening complications. There won't be… There won't be pain…

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A Hyuuga member arched an eyebrow when she saw a dazed Shouhei walking along the hallway.

"Did parents arrive already?" Shouhei asked.

"Yes, thirty minutes ago. They're in your house now."

The man nodded. "Can you tell our leader then that I'm home for me?" he asked. It was a standard operating procedure in the clan for members to report to the clan leader when they arrived from the mission. "I have something important to discuss with parents." Without waiting for his cousin's reply, he proceeded to their house.

Shouhei took a shuddering breath as two pairs of eyes looked at him, waiting for his announcement.

"I just received news that my girlfriend is pregnant."

Neji frowned while the mug between Tenten's hands slipped few inches.

"What?" Tenten demanded. She didn't know their son dated someone long enough to bed her. Who was the girl?

"And?" Neji asked monotonously.

"I don't know. I haven't talked with her."

"What I'm asking is, are you planning to marry her?" his father asked. He'd kill his own son if he won't take responsibility of the child and of his woman.

Shouhei looked away.

"Are you saying you won't marry her?" Tenten asked.

Shouhei shook his head. It was more like Miki would refuse to marry him. Marriage and Miki never fit in the same sentence. The girl was too ambitious and according to her during one of their casual conversation, she didn't want to marry not until she accomplished her dream.

"I do but she doesn't… Miki-" he cut off, realizing his mistake.

"Miki?" his parents echoed owlishly. "Are you saying your girlfriend is Uchiha, Miki?" Neji inquired. His left fist landed on the table harshly as he boomed, "What foolishness is this, Shouhei?"

Shouhei cringed. He was twenty-one years old but his father's angry voice still made him cringed like a child.

"Son, what mess had you gotten yourself into?" Tenten whispered softly. Suddenly, she was scared of her son's life. She then looked at her husband when he coldly said her name. "We're going to visit the Uchiha compound first thing in the morning." He glared at his second son, "we're going to settle this matter with her parents."

Tenten nodded. Neji then turned around to leave, his black hair flowing after him.

Shouhei sighed then coughed, doubling over as his father's fist connected with his abdomen. He had let his guard down. "What the hell were you thinking? You should have known better than to touch a fifteen-year-old girl much more an Uchiha at that," Neji hissed before he distanced away and this time he left the room.

Shouhei kneeled on the floor wheezing at the pain. Damn it, it hurt.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho had arrived just on time for dinner. And he knew something was wrong when he entered the dining room and could feel the heavy tension. Hell, nobody was speaking and all of them were staring at their own meal.

"So how was the training so far, Kisho?" Naruto asked trying to look interested. He was but his youngest son couldn't help but notice a lot of emotions filling his suddenly dark blue eyes. What the hell was wrong with everybody?

The boy waved his hand. "Fine. It was challenging. Harder than I expected which was cool. If I qualify for the next part, I'd then learn about burning corpses and creating poisons. Learning the hunter-nins' tricks- it's what I'm looking forward."

"That's good."

"So how is everyone?" The atmosphere became heavier.

"Everything is fine," Akemi said.

"Yeah and I failed my qualification exam." Kisho looked at everyone else and then sighed. The tension was quite familiar. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay, who fought who? Or who is sick?"

"Nobody," Sasuke said.

"I am," Miki said.

"You're sick."

"No, pregnant."

Kisho gaped at him. "What? I think I misheard you."

"I'm pregnant, Kisho. I'm carrying Shouhei's child," his sister repeated clearly and slowly.

All eyes stared at him waiting for his violent outburst. But much to their surprise, a grin broke through that emotionless face.

"Really? Congratulations, Miki!" he said while taking her hands between his.

"Y-you're not mad?" the girl stuttered. She thought Kisho would be furious more than words but here he was congratulating her… being happy for her and she felt lighter. One thorn had been taken from her heart. Finally, somebody was supporting her.

"Me, mad? If my sister is happy then I am. But you have to give me the honor to name your firstborn."

"Hey! Naming is one of the responsibilities of being parents."

"Says who?"

"It doesn't matter. I don't want you giving my child a perverted name."

"Hey! That's an insult."

The three men suspiciously looked at Kisho but he was jovially and sincerely conversing with Miki asking about her pregnancy and all while wolfing down his food.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shouhei sat on the edge of his bed. At midnight, he still couldn't sleep even when he was tired with his mission. There were so many jumbled thoughts in his mind and his emotions were going haywire. What should he do? What could he do? What would he do if-

He blinked at a certain curtain flapping showing his mother's garden. Was it just him or did he really see Kisho outside standing near the pond looking at him emotionlessly? No, it must be his eyes playing a trick on him. No non-Hyuuga could sneak into the compound without triggering the traps the finest of the Hyuuga shinobis set up for security measures. But then again, Kisho was close to being uncanny and with him training for becoming hunter-nin… He stood up and slipped outside. For whatever reason, it seemed Kisho left trails of his chakra for him to follow and follow he did.

Kisho was waiting at the small park near the Hyuuga compound.

"I half-expected you to not come here," Kisho said after he nodded his head in greeting.

"I think you have something important to tell me." For the second time around, he doubled over as his abdomen got hit. Kisho had kneed him quicker than his instincts could react.

"That was for touching my sister and ruining her dreams," he said coldly.

Shouhei spit the blood that had risen up. "I'll be responsible."

"That's not enough for me."

The older shinobi couldn't help but shiver at how murderous those red eyes were. "Kill me if you wish but it would only hurt Miki more and her child will have no father." He smirked knowing Kisho also knew that. He knew the boy could kill him if he wishes to. He could and yet he had just kneed him in the stomach.

"If there will be a child," Kisho said and Shouhei looked up at him, his blood turning cold.

"You aren't going to-"

"I'd kill anyone who poses a threat to my family especially my sister. Whether it will be an innocent life or not, it doesn't matter. Hesitation isn't something that was born into me."

And before the man could plead or could do anything, Kisho had disappeared in the darkness as if he wasn't there.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Morning came too early for Shouhei who could never fall asleep. He felt burdened with his emotions which ranged from happiness to fear.

He became even more scared when he saw his father looking grim and his mother looking way too serious. Worse, they were wearing formal kimono carrying the Hyuuga symbol.

"Shouldn't you be wearing kimono, Shouhei?" Tenten asked in her motherly voice - gentle but demanding for complete obedience.

"I- I didn't know-"

"Are you thinking of going there in that uniform?" Neji snapped coldly. "Are you going to humiliate me more?"

Shouhei stiffened then bowed respectfully, "Excuse me then, father."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The three were relieved when it was Naruto who answered the door and not Sasuke nor their sons. Tenten stepped forward as if to protect their son when Naruto's angry gaze focused on Shouhei.

"Hyuuga," a deep voice said behind Naruto.

"Uchiha," Neji replied before he and his family bowed.

"Naruto," Sasuke said as he turned around.

The blonde nodded and stepped aside to let them in.

The Hyuugas sat on one side of the table while the Uchihas on the other. Tenten and Naruto sat on the right side of their respective spouse and a few centimeters behind them while Shouhei and Miki sat on their left and totally behind them.

For a brief second, Neji wondered what to say to get things back the way they used to be then stopped. It was foolish thinking. There was no way things would go back. It had been done and all they could do was to perform damage control.

"We apologize for the trouble," Neji said the first thing that came to his mind. He bowed deeply, his forehead almost brushing against the tatami. Tenten followed suit and so did Shouhei albeit hesitatingly. He wasn't sorry. It had been his wish for Miki to be the mother of his children and the fact that it had came true earlier than planned wasn't something to regret. Ever.

Naruto and Sasuke remained stoic. They watched as the three straightened.

"We came here to offer marriage to Miki-san," Neji continued. Shouhei and Miki were surprised. The Uchiha couple stiffened. It was only Tenten who didn't react to his announcement." If this is the only way to save your family's honor as well as ours then so be it."

Miki clenched her hands. When did marriage become a business proposal especially hers?

"Would your son really wish to marry my daughter?" Sasuke asked.

Gathering his courage, Shouhei moved forward, bowed and beseeched, "Will you please let me talk with your daughter alone?"

The plea would have been ignored if not for Tenten who bowed and pleaded too. When Sasuke made no inclination, the Hyuuga female turned to Naruto.

"Sasuke..." the blond male whispered.

"Very well," the clan leader acquiesced. "Across this room is an unoccupied one. You may go there."

Shouhei leaned against the door the second he closed the door. "Miki, I-"

The girl who had her back turned against him shook her head. "It's okay. I'm fine so you don't have to do this. But I want you to believe that I didn't trick you."

An elegant brow rose up. Not once did he believe much less think that Miki had tricked him. She didn't have to resort to that. She could have anything. He would give her anything... everything.

"You don't have to feel obligated. I can be a single mother. I can-"

She stopped as Shouhei encased her in his arms. "Don't be ridiculous, Miki," he said almost harshly. "I'm going to marry you but not because I feel obligated or forced. Those would never be the reasons." He turned her around and wiped her tears. "I love you so marry me." He kissed her forehead. "Please."

Miki buried her face against his chest before nodding.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Although Miki's family was more than displeased with the marriage, they had no other choice but to agree.

On the other hand, the Hyuuga clan especially the elders who knew of the irritation and embarrassment that their ancestors had suffered after the Uchiha clan which originated from them had surpassed them in superiority, had joyously welcomed the announcement. An Uchiha member was returning to them and to top it off, it was a member who inherited few of Kyuubi's skills. Without a doubt, the unborn child would be the strongest of them all.

The villagers -shinobis and non-shinobis who were outside the inner circle of both families were surprised at the sudden news. Others assumed that it was an arranged marriage between two powerful clans to unite their bloodline limit; few believed it was an agreement between two friends and few guessed that Shouhei had a one-night stand with Miki and made a mistake. None of them were told of the truth nor were corrected. They had been left to assume, guess, gossip, speculate and make snide comments.

And because, Miki was marrying into the Hyuuga clan, all preparations and expenses were made by the Hyuugas themselves.

A month later all family friends were gathered together inside the ceremonial hall of the Hyuuga manor.

Miki who was dressed in elegant wedding kimono looked up when the door slid open. She gave a pained smile when she saw her parents clad in ceremonial kimono with the Uchiha symbol. She was going to miss that symbol no, she already did but she wasn't going to cry. She was going to be a mother soon and she must be stronger.

Sasuke and Naruto sat in front of her.

Miki placed her hands in front of her and bowed deeply. "Thank you for everything," she said in a trembling voice.

Those words clenched the couple's hearts. It was the words they had dreaded to hear. The statement finalized her leaving. They had lost their daughter to someone else.

"You're very beautiful," Naruto said what he first thought the moment he stepped inside. "Please be happy, Miki. We want you to be happy." He took something out from his coat; placed it between them and opened it, revealing his gift to her.

Miki's eyes widened at the expensive-looking hair ornaments made of tortoise shell and jade.

Her lips trembled when her otousan also placed something in front of her. She had never expected to receive something from him other than the customary dowry and gifts because even now her otousan wasn't speaking a word to her.

"Chichiue," she pleaded when Sasuke left the room the second he presented his present.

Naruto could only shake his head. "Give him time, Miki." The whole thing had affected Sasuke more than anybody else in the family although he wasn't showing it very much.

Miki parted the black silk to find a dagger with its black lacquered scabbard painted with a moonlight scene of the Uchiha pond Miki loved so much. Seeing this, Miki couldn't stop the tears coursing down her cheeks erasing her white facial powder. With trembling hands, she unsheathed the dagger which glistened under the light with its sharpness. On one side of the blade, 'Uchiha Miki' was engraved in calligraphy text. On the other side was the word 'Saiai'. Miki understood what her otousan was saying- she would always be a part of the Uchiha even if legally she wasn't anymore. She cried harder so when her make-up artist came to her room, the old woman shrieked at the mess. She quickly tried to redo her makeup but the child kept on crying so she finally settled on Miki not having white powder on her face.

"Ma'am, will you tuck this dagger into my obi?" she asked between sniffs.

"But you already had one and to top it off, it's a family heirloom."

"I prefer this one." Because to her, the weapon emanated the giver's warmth.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto broke his and Sasuke's deep and slow kiss to whisper, "The ceremony is about to start." In fact, he was certain that somebody was sent to look for them. When he had left Miki, he searched for his husband and found him standing against a shack, brooding. Making sure that they were hidden from view, Naruto comforted his spouse with kisses.

"I don't want to go," Sasuke replied, his lips gently moving against the blonde's hickey-littered neck.

"Me too but Miki gets married only once so I don't want to miss this."

"Remind me again why I can't kill that dickhead." He wondered if it was just him or do all fathers feel passionate animosity towards their soon-to-be-son-in-law?

"Sasuke," Naruto warned which came out as a gasp as his husband added another hickey. Damn hickey freak. Naruto crashed their mouths together and when Sasuke was daze and breathless he dragged him to the ceremonial hall. Their sons could only arch an eyebrow when their otousan was glaring at their smug chichiue.

All guests were seated in the center of the room and across the altar. The Uchihas were seated on the left side of the platform. Sasuke and Naruto were in the first row, Yuuzuki and his family on the second and Akemi and Kisho made up the third.

Across from them was the Hyuuga clan. Kiba and Hinata seated ahead of them all, directly behind them were their children who were all unmarried yet. From the third to the sixth rows were all the elders. The seventh row was where Neji and his family were but there were two cushions which were unoccupied and reserved for Shouhei and his young wife.

The door behind the Hyuuga clan slid open and Shouhei dressed in wedding kimono stepped inside. His presence immediately filled the room and the chatting voices had decreased into buzzes. He bowed to the village elder who would officiate their marriage then to his soon-to-be family-in-law who he knew wanted to feast on his dead body rather than celebrate with him in this moment of triumph then to his clan who proudly approved of his choice for a wife before sitting in front of the marriage official. Everybody applauded him for his calmness never knowing the jittery he felt that made him wonder if he could remember everything that should transpire in his clan's traditional marriage.

A moment later, Miki, in her bridal and pregnant glory stepped inside, completely captivating everyone.

Shouhei's eyes dilated and his heart leapt out from his chest. He never felt this triumphant before knowing within that beautiful body a new life was growing; knowing she was his... all his. He stifled the urge to throw his head back and laughed and settled for a reassuring smile to his bride who blushed.

Miki's family on the other hand wanted nothing more to snatch her away but curb their urge seeing how happy she seemed to be. She looked too much of a bridal doll more than anything.

This can't be happening, their thoughts screamed in protest.

Like Shouhei, Miki bowed before taking her seat beside her husband in front of the village elder.

The elder after saying few words, pushed the lacquered tray to the couple. Miki bowed before taking the porcelain bottle in her slightly trembling hands and poured the warm rice wine into the small porcelain cup.

Service.

She bowed to Shouhei.

Submission.

Shouhei took the cup and sipped from it twice.

Acceptance.

He then offered the half-empty cup to his bride who gracefully drank the remaining contents.

Surrender.

At the nod of the officiating elder, Shouhei and Miki slid their wedding ring into each others' fingers cementing their union. The new couple stood up as Kiba approached them.

Sasuke wished he was on a mission rather than watched as the Hyuuga leader draped a coat bearing the clan's symbol on his daughter's shoulders. His grip on his knees tightened. And the thunder of applause cheering the young couple was faint on his ears as his eyes trained on Miki's back as it grew farther. When did his view become blurry? Why were his eyes hot and itchy?

All Hyuuga bowed to welcome Miki as Shouhei led her to her rightful place then they bowed deeply to the Uchiha family to thank them for raising the girl well.

The reception that followed was a blur to Sasuke who was mourning for his inevitable loss. All he could remember was the comforting presence of Naruto by his side.

Naruto didn't miss the murderous aura Sasuke emanated at the last part of the wedding ceremony and felt sympathetic towards his husband. Whatever he felt he knew Sasuke felt it ten times worse and it was amazing that he managed to hold onto his stoic mask.

Few minutes before the reception would end, Shouhei found himself brilliantly cornered by his brother-in-laws. Not wanting to provoke them, he remained quiet and cool. He knew who was the most dangerous; the cruelest and the most manipulative among them and briefly wondered who would attack him first.

Coincidentally, the three smiled at him but to Shouhei who had a rooted fear for them since this incident started, thought they were baring their canines. The next thing he knew, Kisho shook his hand; Akemi pat his back and Yuuzuki tousled his well-styled hair. Their camaraderie and acknowledgement gestures were sudden that it made the Hyuuga member feel that he was part of play of which he had no idea he was starring in.

"I'm absolutely certain that Shouhei will look after her," Yuuzuki declared with confidence between chuckles. The two seconded his belief.

"Right, Shouhei?" the three chorus melodiously. The poor guy could swear that this time they were baring their fangs. But they didn't remind him of foxes because they looked more like hungry hyenas as they waited for his assurance.

"Of-" Shouhei cut himself off realizing that his voice came out as a squeak. Damn. How embarrassing. He cleared his throat first before repeating himself. "Of course. Definitely."

Pleased, the three escorted them back to his smiling wife who was waiting for him.

"How did it go?" Miki whispered as they clasped their hands together.

"Wonderful," he replied. Just then a solemn music started playing signaling the end of the reception. But instead of leaving, everyone gathered in front of a newly constructed house. They parted and murmured their wishes as the newly-wed moved hand in hand towards the house.

Fear of abandonment flared inside Shouhei when Miki snatched her hand from his and fled just one step away the main door.

Miki flung herself against Sasuke whose breath was knocked out at the sudden collision. She was happy all right but it would never be complete without her talking with her otousan.

She pulled his head lower to whisper something that was for his ears only.

"I'm still an Uchiha at heart. Forever will." And she pressed her lips against a smooth cheek and smiled when her embrace was returned.

Everybody who was there wondered what the bride had whispered to make the Uchiha leader chuckle melodiously.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Standing by one of the windows of their bedroom, Miki fought the pang of loneliness she felt as she saw the roof of the Uchiha manor.

"Are you regretting, Miki?" Shouhei asked quietly never missing the longing that darkened her blue eyes.

The blonde turned around and shook her head. "No. Never."

He briefly wondered if he had been fair to ask her that. She had left her family and threw away her dreams for their baby. He should have been happy with her reply but uncertainty and fear welled up in him as he saw something in her eyes. He stepped forward and embraced her tight.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Hey," a voice said softly from the door making Sasuke looked up from his hands.

He just nodded never moving from the floor, his back against Miki's bed.

Naruto quietly moved to sit on their daughter's bed, his legs on either side of Sasuke. He dropped a kiss on a mop of black hair streaked with white strands while draping his arms over his husband's shoulders.

"You did a good job in restraining yourself," he said. "I thought you would go wild back there."

"I won't stoop to that level," Sasuke replied too quick making the blonde chuckle. "Really."

"I believe you," was the mocking answer making the Uchiha leader growl before leaning his head back to glare at his amused wife.

Naruto leaned down to brush their noses. "Do you remember the time when Miki..."

The rest of the night faded as they reminisced together.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Early morning, Akemi walked towards Miki's bedroom just to make sure that the wedding really happened and to kill his foolish hope that Miki was still with them. He softly rapped against the door before opening it. And what greeted him wasn't what he expected- his parents cuddling while sleeping on his sister's bed. His otousan was childishly clinging on his chichiue who was holding the former comfortingly... protectively.

Knowing the emotional ride they went and were going through, he closed the door quietly deciding to let them sleep.

As he walked away to train, he let the reality settle on his heart. He stepped outside and gazed up at the clear sky. Tucking the strands of hair that were gently whipping against his face as the morning breeze blew, he made a wish.

_Please make her happy._

See? Kisho is evil... LOL. I like his being sinister. Just few hours after marriage and Shouhei is scared... What did he see in Miki's eyes? For the next chapter, things will be light... I promise.


	77. 人生の硝子

**Thanks to XKunoichiofthePaintbrushX for pointing out the typo.**

* * *

**Chapter 77: Pieces of life**

A half-dressed Shouhei went down to the kitchen to find Miki already preparing the table for breakfast for one. He walked behind her intending to catch her off guard but she turned around.

"Good," she said. "You have a lot of time to eat breakfast without wolfing it down." Even if she didn't feel like getting up due to her pregnancy, she wanted her husband to have a decent meal before leaving for a two-week mission. That was what her chichiue was doing for her otousan and for them.

She let her partner donned on his black sleeveless shirt before holding her cup of milk against his lips.

Not wanting to hurt the emotionally-sensitive blonde, he took a gulp while enjoying the ample view of her cleavage courtesy of her loose yukata. He pulled her into his arms before kissing her left temple. "You think you'd be okay without me?"

"I'm a kunoichi."

"A pregnant one," he added as he laid a hand against her stomach. She was already five months pregnant but her belly wasn't bulging much.

"Don't worry. Aunt Hinata is here and so is okaasan," she reassured almost stumbling with the last word. Three months hadn't yet made her get used to it. 'Okaasan' was a word foreign to her mouth until after she got married. It felt awkward albeit affectionately warm.

"I'm more worried how our house will look like when I get home," he confessed lightly. Three months ago, Miki was not only taken from the active list but was also relieved from her hospital work until childbirth. A pouting Miki had accepted it gracefully and had enjoyed the vacation until a week later when boredom and restlessness became her. She changed the curtains and bed sheets every single day. Once every three days, she rearranged the house and changed the scenery of their garden. It was when she attempted to repaint the wall that made Shouhei beseeched Tsunade and the hokage to allow Miki to work because she was putting herself and their baby at risk by trying to fight off boredom. He pleaded pathetically and was close to bowing ninety degrees just to have their permission. Much to his relief, the two agreed. She was still one of Konoha's non-active ninjas and she still wasn't allowed to work in the hospital for her health but she was given a documentation job at the research department. To Miki, it was boring but it was better than spending most of her time at home.

Miki chuckled. "You should start worrying two months from now." Because two months from now, she'd be relieved from work and this time there won't be anything to change the minds of two blond top brasses.

"Miki," Shouhei murmured gruffly, truly dreading that time. He wondered if their uncle Kiba could issue an order to each home furnishing and gardening stores forbidding them from selling any of their goods to his wife.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"You've got a visitor," a trainee told Miki just when she was about to enter the staff room for lunch break.

She thanked the lad before walking outside. She waved at her otousan who was lazily leaning against a wall and smiled when he held a bag of what she knew to be roasted chestnuts judging by the scent coming from it. Yummy.

Sasuke sat down near Miki as the two spent the latter's lunch break at the building's rooftop.

He smiled as his daughter let out a pleased moan the moment she popped one nut into her mouth.

"Heaven," she breathed before she continued cracking the shell one after another. She had to admit, cracking the shell was more fun than eating the nut and it was something that Sasuke noticed.

"Y'know when your chichiue was pregnant with Yuuzuki, he enjoyed slicing yokan more than eating it," the Uchiha leader said. That was his worst ordeal with a pregnant Naruto.

"And I thought you don't like sweets," the blonde commented assuming he was usually the one who ended up eating.

"It was better than dealing with a crying temperamental blonde."

"I'm so going to tell this to chichiue."

She laughed as her father glared at her.

After a moment of silence, Sasuke stared at the sky and sighed. "You're so impatient aren't you, Miki?"

"Eh?"

"You do a lot of things too early. You came out from chichiue's womb one month early. You wear sexy clothes way too early. You dated early. You married early. You..." he trailed off but trained his eyes on her belly. "It's a bit amusing and a hell lot frustrating and annoying."

Miki just chuckled. "I'll try to take my time next time, okay?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Like a boulder, dead silence settled heavily in the room where the eleven new hunter-nins were gathered as the door slid open and a lanky man walked in.

"Shougo," he said as he stand in front of the desk and leaned his butt against it. His first name was what made up his self-introductory. There was no need for these greenhorns to know that he was one of the best hunter-nins to grace Konoha, no the world. Let them find it out for themselves because it was better that way.

"Okay, settle down," he continued. His voice was now as sharp as the cracking sound of a whip. He didn't like it when the newbies emanated excitement as if they were going to have a field trip. Their job was no field trip nor was it a game. It was more than a cat and mouse or prey and predator. Sometimes it was them who were on the run... who were hunted. Among groups of active ninjas, the hunter-nins were the ones who knew about survival the most. After all they spent most of their service time outside the village and into the wilderness where not only rogue ninjas exist but bandits and animals as well.

He let his grey eyes swept past them quickly counting those who passed. Twelve... twelve out forty-three applicants… He thought the screening wasn't bad but if there were this many who qualified then it needed to be improved.

"Listen up! You aren't Konoha's hands and feet. It's the genins, chuunins and jounins. You aren't Konoha's shadows. It's the ANBU. What you are... you are Konoha's hand of justice... its shinigami."

Kisho silently repeated the term, letting it roll from his tongue syllable after syllable then smiled. It was cool and beautiful in a very dangerous way and he liked it.

"All those who defected from the village must be killed. Regardless of what the missing-nin is to you, you must kill them. This is the nature of our work. You're trained to pursue obstinately and kill efficiently." Stripping the glory and all the niceties glazing over the job, the hunter-nins were nothing more than stone-cold slayers. They were worse than ANBU and Shougo didn't want the twelve to think otherwise.

"What we have is just a compilation of the traitors' profiles we called bingo book..."

"I heard from my brother that every four months that book is updated," the boy on Kisho's left whispered to him.

"Really?" Kisho whispered back. He looked at the book being held by Shougo before saying softly, "I should get my profile printed in that book."

The ash-black-haired boy gave him a revolting look.

"Kidding." But silently, he thought it would be fun to be hunted.

"Hunter-nins are classified into three groups- pros, experts and masters." Shougo nodded when it was obvious the newbies knew what group they belong. Yes, they were pros if they had passed the training with flying colors. "Duration outside the village as well as jurisdiction is determined by this grouping. Masters could stay away from the village as long as fifteen months..."

"Then I want to be a master very soon," Kisho muttered.

"Me too," his seatmate stated.

"But I want to be best among the masters."

"You dream too much."

"No, I dream too little."

The ash-black-haired boy snorted.

"...Evaluations are done annually through the reports sent by hunter-nins so coming home for evaluation isn't necessary."

"Good," the boy murmured. "It won't get in the way. But writing reports is a hassle."

"You have to if you want to be promoted. It couldn't be that bad. Just think about promotions."

Shougo really tried. He really did but he could no longer ignore the two boys who were whispering while he talked. Without any warning he threw two senbons to their direction. The long needles pierced into the table surface and slightly trembled at the force of impact.

"Don't speak when you're not being asked to," Shougo snapped, his eyes hard.

"I know," Kisho replied too cheekily for the Hunter-nin master. "But an acquaintance had spoken to me."

A split second later, Shougo was beside Kisho with a senbon digging into the boy's neck, immobilizing his jaw. "This is what happened to cheeky fellows who dared to cross against any masters," he announced to the rest.

"I see," a voice from his left said making him look to that direction. He was shocked to find Kisho crouching on another table and looking like he learned something very valuable.

He snapped his gaze downward and realized his victim was the ash-black-haired boy. When did Kisho use the switching technique without him noticing it? He wondered.

"I should be careful then, right?" Kisho said, looking at him with a cheerful smile, transforming his eyes into inverted U.

Between amusement and irritation, there were two words that kept on echoing in his mind as he maid his way back to the table:

_Arrogant rookie._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The branch rattled slightly as the black blur speeding through the forest landed on it.

Kisho believed that he was on time and his partner wasn't. Partner? No, his trainer. Like any newbie, he'd be tagging along with someone from the experts or masters for the next five months for evaluation of whether he would work alone or with a partner. He wished it would be the former because- just because.

He took his porcelain mask and gazed at it.

_Mask, meet my face. Face, meet mask. Please be good with each other, okay?_

He chuckled at his thoughts. Being away from the village always made him feel light. There were no prying eyes of curious villagers or sharp gazes of his critics. He was free... temporarily but who cares?

"Sorry to make you wait, er..."

"Kisho. Uchiha, Kisho," the boy said as he straightened and turned around to regard his part- trainer. The man was wearing a mask with designs similar to his except that his was painted with deep bloody-red - the color of death, crime and brutality. And then it dawned on Kisho that the older man was one of the masters.

Perfect.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

At the sound of Chie's soft chuckle, Akemi shot her a soft glare. The two were walking along one of the busy streets in Konoha after watching a movie.

"Do I detect a note of jealousy?" she teasingly asked.

"As if I'd be jealous of some actor," he retorted while rolling his eyes.

"Drop-dead gorgeous and very talented actor," she added causing her boyfriend to glare at her again.

But her amusement died a sudden death when Akemi scowled ahead of them. She followed his gaze and saw his pregnant sister. She slightly frowned but for a reason different from her date's.

Akemi was irked. At Miki's fragile state, shouldn't there be a Hyuuga member accompanying her? Unless his sister had sneak out or something.

He apologetically looked at Chie. "I have to go." That was all he said. There was no apology or explanation and he didn't wait for her reply either.

Chie was lucky enough that they were beside the Yamanaka's flower shop. At least, it didn't look like she had been abandoned without hesitation.

She watched as Akemi confronted Miki calmly. But judging by the blonde's reaction, his tone must have been cold and his words sharp. Then the lad listened as Miki spoke rapidly accompanied with quick hand movements. Akemi glared and so did Miki. A second later, the former sighed, picked up the shopping bags, grab Miki's hand to walk her home.

Chie bit the inside of her mouth, completely frustrated that Akemi hadn't even looked back. He had just left with her completely forgotten.

Ouch.

"Want to have coffee with me?" she heard someone asked cheerfully.

_Yukina._

Chie nodded much to Yukina's relief. She had spotted the two while paying for her groceries and reflecting on the girl's expression she knew what Chie was feeling- jealousy.

As far as she could remember, there was nobody who pampered or showered her with affection. Her family saw her as a trouble and nuisance while the villagers saw her as their amusement. That was until Akemi. From his subtle gestures and soft gazes alone, she felt love; felt she was important and needed and more importantly the only one who existed in his world. Well, that was until Miki stepped in and she, Chie, would fade into blurry shadows.

Yukina waited for the waitress to serve their order and leave before she said anything.

"For a long time, there was no girl in the Uchiha aside from Miki," Yukina started. "She was the only they could focus their attention and protectiveness. Obviously, Miki takes the first priority in most cases."

"I know," the florist replied weakly.

"But that doesn't mean you aren't special to Akemi-kun."

"Just not as special as Miki," she replied bitterly.

"Of course not, because she is his sister. The one and only. Listen," she paused to grab her hands wanting her to understand. "Never question Akemi's feelings for you nor make him choose between you and Miki." Yukina knew Akemi enough to understand that the latter see things as black or white. There were never grey areas and compromise was something he rarely exercised even in a life-threatening situation. So if he were to choose between her and Miki he would choose the latter even if it would hurt him.

"Why not?" Why did Yukina look quite fearful?

"It will ruin what you have and it would be beyond repair."

Yukina talked as if-

Chie's eyes widened. "Don't tell me you..."

"I did. I almost ruined us because I wanted to have all of him. And people comparing me to her added fuel to my insecurity."

Chie knew of that feeling too well because she was a victim of comparison too. She had the lineage befitting for an elite ninja clan but she lacked the skills while Yukina lacked the former. Miki, on the other hand, had both making her a desirable bride before she got married. It was also because of these that all Hyuuga members warmly welcomed and respectfully treated her.

"But I'm used to them by now so I'm not affected," Yukina said. Then with a smile for a kindred spirit she added, "Try to last long."

Chie nodded and promised to herself that she would try to understand what Akemi and Miki had.

_Because I love you so._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A woman stood triumphantly in front of a dead ninja.

"This proves that my sword technique is more superior compared to your ninja techniques. Even an Uchiha is no match against me."

She looked at the bloody corpse, blinked then frowned when she was gazing into red eyes. Huh? Hadn't she killed the Uchiha heir by stabbing his nine vital points?

Yuuzuki smirked. "Unfortunately, I can't let such illusion come true," he said in a dangerously calm voice.

"It's me who should decide that," she said as she lunged forward to attack. She scowled as the ANBU captain easily caught her sword with his hand.

Yuuzuki arched an eyebrow. With a smooth swing of his arm, he beheaded the woman too quickly without flinching.

_I didn't live to be killed by weak opponents like you._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"No, Haruo, don't touch that!" Iruka shrieked for the nth time since his three grandsons came to spend their afternoon.

Kakashi sighed. He was half-annoyed and half-amused at his spouse's being overprotective.

"Relax, Iruka. Let him touch those shuriken and kunai. Let him feel the weight of his future," he said lazily.

"He's too young. He might cut himself."

"It's part of the learning process." He gasped as his pointer finger got playfully bitten by Yuuhi. Iruka, who was about to bite Kakashi's head off smiled approvingly. He deserved that.

"Oops," they heard Haruo exclaimed. They whipped their heads and their eyes widened to see an activated exploding tag in the boy's hands.

"I didn't do anything," Haruo said defensively while holding the evidence of his crime.

"Throw that away!" was Iruka's reaction then remembered they were in his house and in a condominium complex. "No! Don't!" he ordered when Haruo was about to do as he said.

Akihito who had been sleeping woke up and trained his eyes on the scene.

"Leave it there, Haruo," a very calm Kakashi said as he stood up.

"Are you crazy?" a panicking Iruka asked then he fell quiet as he saw the calculating look on his husband's face. Kakashi was in control. Definitely.

"Hurry, Haruo," Iruka ordered calmly, thanks to Kakashi. Beside him, the latter peeled his hitaeate to reveal his sharingan. Without waiting for the tag to explode, Kakashi sent it to another dimension.

Thinking it was a show, Yuuhi clapped his hands for a wonderful performance. Akihito who was waiting for more magic, cried when it was obvious that the show was over.

"You need a time-out," Iruka told a very silent Haruo who nodded and quietly sat on a chair closest to the wall. The older brunette sighed then approached Akihito to calm him down.

"More," Yuuhi asked as Kakashi went back to sit beside him.

The older man just smiled and shook his head. He chuckled when the boy sat on lap and started pulling the cloth covering his eye.

In the end, the two ended up wrestling on a two-seater couch.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke watched almost impatiently as Naruto, Konohamaru, Shizune and Sakura were in a heated discussion. He had just came home from his solo mission and immediately reported to the hokage tower only to find out the hokage was in the middle of discussion about some medical stuff completely ignoring him. There was even no nod of acknowledgement thrown to his direction. He was completely ignored. No, not completely. Sakura had bowed out from the discussion after making her point and looked at Sasuke who nodded his head. The two kept eye contact for a brief silent conversation.

_How are you?_

_Fine. I'll visit you in your office._

_When?_

_After my debriefing._

_Very well. Later then._

They tore their gazes from each other just in time for their hokage to conclude things.

Sakura then left together with Shizune without another glance to the ANBU captain.

"I'm going to check some records," Konohamaru said, quickly sweeping the things he would need in his arms. "I'll be in the record section if you need me." He slightly bowed to Sasuke as he passed by him then hurriedly close the door.

"Captain," Naruto started, his hands linked together.

"Not now," Sasuke replied as he reached to take Rokudaime's hat.

"And I thought you could last more than two months," the blonde replied teasingly while taking off Sasuke's chest plate.

"Seen too many couples." He pulled Naruto in his arms. Within a split second, the blonde melted in his kiss and embrace.

"I'm up for it. You?" Naruto asked between breathless kisses.

Sasuke snorted then chuckled. "Are you asking me? This Sasuke?" He pushed his spouse on the table but not the one in the hokage's. He had transferred them to the hokage's sleeping quarters. "I don't want us to be disturbed."

The shorter man rolled his eyes. Hadn't his spouse figure out why his secretary excused himself or why his ANBU guards brought ear plugs or anything to divert their attention?

In the middle of hot and passionate kisses, Naruto managed to maneuver Sasuke into his chair. He traced pale jaw with light kisses while his nimble hands made a quick work of the other man's shirt. He dipped his head and nibbled his collar bone.

"Naruto," Sasuke hissed as tanned hands seared his skin.

"Shh...," came the whispered reply between flicks of tongue trailing broad pale chest.

Sasuke gripped the arm rest as his right nipple was engulfed by expert hot mouth. He moaned as pleasure shot through him like a sudden jolt of chakra. He arched his body when the same heat worried over his other nipple. So focus was he with the tongue movements that he didn't know what Naruto was doing simultaneously until Naruto's mouth stop its sweet torture.

He looked down and gulped seeing Naruto holding his shaft in front of his mouth.

"And now my dearest captain, your reward for coming back early."

Sasuke felt his manhood jumped at the hot breath caressing it. A crude word exploded from him as his dobe took him in.

Naruto who never tore his gaze away from the dark-haired man mentally smiled at the reaction. He was proud to know it was only him who could coax such reaction from the bastard... **his** bastard. He spared no inch of the hardened flesh from his tongue and saliva. He tasted, licked and nibbled. He sucked its underside where he could feel a vein pulsating, pumping more blood to his lollipop. He took the length into his mouth again and hummed increasing the pleasure that was rocking his husband.

Sasuke let out a deep moan, his hands lightly gripping Naruto's head. "More," he ordered breathlessly. Naruto was getting better and better to the point that it was maddening. He pulled his spouse's head closer and spread his legs wider hanging it over the arm rests.

The blonde leaned more, greedily working on the hard flesh. He could feel the coarse dark hair brushing against his face but he didn't mind. He was into giving pleasure just as Sasuke was into receiving it. He like the feeling of Sasuke's length twitching and hardening inside him whether it was in his mouth or somewhere down below. He loved its texture. He was close to obsessing about it and it was all Sasuke's fault.

"Naruto, I-"

The blonde traced the slit with its tongue just as Sasuke came with a deep shuddering sigh, splattering his essence on tanned face.

Sasuke looked down to see an arousing sight. He smiled before licking his semen from soft lips before pressing his own against it. Their tongues dueled, danced and twirled around each other and tracing familiar terrain. He pressed closer and plunged his tongue deeper. He wanted more of the sweetness dripping from such cavern.

Naruto broke from their liplock, stepped back and slipped his robe. Under smoldering gaze, he felt flirtatious and bold that he started undressing slowly, giving the Uchiha leader a very drooling show.

Sasuke's breath hitched while his heart stopped beating for a moment. He gulped as he felt his body close to overheating and it wasn't because of summer heat. Mesmerized and close to hyperventilating, he watched the blonde sat on the table, spread his legs and perched the balls of his feet on the edge of his table. His manhood snapped to attention seeing his erect partner and the entrance to his treasure cove.

Naruto's skin tingled at the increase of intensity of the other man's gaze. He could feel it as it left a burning trail and he traced the path with a trembling hand. He hissed as he touched his own shaft. Unable to stop, he ran his hand along his length wanting to find pleasure... wanting more. He let few fingers of his other hand brushed against his tip coating them with his precum before making its sticky and wet path to his opening.

"Fuck, Naruto," Sasuke breathed as he saw one finger after another slid into that puckered and wet hole.

"Sasuke," the blonde breathed hotly imagining it was his spouse that was touching him.

Trespassing, Sasuke thought jealousy seeing those three fingers slipping in and out. Definitely trespassing of his property legalized by marriage and love.

"Enough!" Sasuke hissed as he moved to the table, quickly steadying those fingers.

"Then come inside," Naruto said in a whispered seduction that made the Uchiha heady with sweet temptation. If that wasn't enough, the blonde gave him a slow erotic smile and pulled his long fingers into him making the dark-haired man moan.

Trying to hold onto his remaining shreds of control, he said, "Enough, Na... ru... to." He panted in excitement as he positioned himself and desperately sunk into the tight burning heat that was Naruto's body.

Tanned arms and legs wrapped themselves around pale body like hungry snakes.

"Welcome home, Sasuke," Naruto moaned and tightened his muscles around his spouse's heated length. He mewled as his nerve of spot was rammed over and over again, the intoxicating pleasure rocketing everywhere in him. It didn't matter that they were rocking the table with their maddening pace as long as they had each other; as long as Sasuke was inside him moving and claiming him.

"Nngh... hnn... Naruto, you're so...," Sasuke murmured incoherently as he plunged inside over and over again. This was his heaven on Earth; his insanity amidst madness; his redemption and his sanctuary.

Faster and as one, they moved rapidly, closing in on their target.

Naruto tumbled ahead, spraying their chest with his own white fluid.

"Faster, Sas-keh," he commanded as he felt another wave of orgasm rising behind him, ready to crash. "Deeper, love." He snapped his hips forward, meeting powerful and deep thrusts, sheathing his husband completely and greedily.

Sasuke obeyed wordlessly until he was almost tearing his dobe apart. He was riding him ruthlessly and pounding into him callously. But who cares? Reason was gone and control had evaporated. There was just an animalistic instinct left governing his whole system to plunder all that the needy body beneath him could offer.

The tang of completion was so good even if it was just a droplet of taste. It was intoxicating and he worked to have more. And more he had as wave after wave of orgasm slammed against him. Almost deaf with the intensity of his reward, he faintly heard Naruto moaned his name as he came again.

A moment later, the two regained awareness.

"I'm home, dobe," Sasuke whispered soft, his lips brushing against a sweaty temple.

"Well then, captain, let's begin your overdue debriefing," Naruto teasingly and affectionately ordered.

An elegant black eyebrow rose. "Like this?"

For a brief second, the blonde paused to reconsider. Their chests were still semen-stained and Sasuke's essence had begun leaking through and they were still intimately connected as one. Not to mention alone and on the table.

With mischief glinting in his eyes, he grinned. "Yes, like this."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A medic-nin didn't react nor comment when Sakura's speed in firing instructions picked up in an instant without warning. But he couldn't blame the pink-haired kunoichi as she was known to be busy always.

"That's all. You got that?" she asked, her emerald eyes sharp.

He nodded after seeing the promise of pain glinting from those eyes.

The woman nodded. "You're dismissed."

The second the door was closed, Sasuke appeared but he was still masking his chakra signature.

"Took you long," she said.

"Debriefing went longer than I expected," Sasuke lied calmly, "then I went home to take a shower." After all, he didn't want to be reeking with sex when he would visit the kunoichi.

"Sasuke, I..." she faltered. "Naruto-"

"Forget Naruto. Let's do this," Sasuke almost ordered. "It's too late to back out now, Sakura. Seven months, we've been doing this... we've been keeping this secret."

"I know that."

"Then?"

Guilt vanished from her face and she moved closer to the Uchiha leader.

_I'm sorry, Naruto._

**TBC**

* * *

What secret is Sasuke keeping? And with Sakura? 


	78. 美木の罪

**Sorry for the wait, guys. I'd been so busy at work and was tired that I just wanted to drop dead. **

**I'm overwhelmed with the reviews for the last chapters. Anyway, enjoy. Oh yeah, Happy holidays!**

* * *

**Chapter 78: Her crime**

Miki groaned and curled as pain shot through her again. She was lying on a hospital bed waiting for that dreadful and inevitable labor all women had to go through.

Shouhei flinched as his left hand was almost crushed in a tight grip.

"It's time," he heard his wife said between gritted teeth.

"It's time," he repeated in a loud voice. A split second, three nurses burst into the room and wheeled the blonde to the delivery room.

Miki passed by her two parents who had arrived and instinctively reached for them. Naruto did the same causing their fingers to brush.

Miki remembered the conversation she had with her chichiue a week ago.

"_Miki, if things will come to a situation when we are to choose between you and your child-"_

"_Chichiue," Miki interrupted, her hands moving to cover her ears._

_Naruto moved closer and held her hands. "Listen to me," he pleaded. "Miki, please."_

_The girl nodded._

"_As I was saying, if it will come to that, otousan and I will choose you."_

"_Chichiue... that's unfair. Didn't you say that life is precious?"_

"_Yes, it is." The girl was about to open her mouth when he shook her head. "Don't ask us to reconsider. We lost you, Miki earlier than we expected and we can't endure it if you'll die. Never ask us to bear that kind of pain." He gazed down at her. Blue eyes against blue ones. "I won't let you die. I carried you for nine, no, eight months and raised you for many years so I absolutely won't let you die." There was finality in his voice and Miki knew they had made up their mind._

Before the doors of the delivery room swung shut, she saw her chichiue giving her two thumbs-up while her otousan mouthed the word 'work hard'.

Hinata mentally sighed in relief upon hearing that the girl's passage was expanding. With the girl's condition, she thought it would be a caesarian operation. She looked at her niece-in-law. "If you feel pain or discomfort, tell us immediately. Don't hide it."

The blonde nodded before groaning again.

"Just push, Miki," one medic-nin ordered.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shouhei quietly sat on one bench not knowing what to do and how to help his wife. Cold sweat broke out from his skin dampening his face and shirt.

Sasuke massaged the bridge of his nose. Naruto pacing back and forth was giving him a headache. He shot his hand out and grabbed one tanned wrist.

"Stop prowling," he said almost too harshly.

"You don't understand the pain labor brings, bastard. Ne, Tenten?" The woman nodded automatically and the blonde continued, "I hope Miki can stand it."

"You lack faith in our daughter."

His spouse glared. "I'm fucking worried about her. I can't be like you who sit and be the Ice King."

Sasuke glared too and jerked the blonde to sit beside him.

"Your prowling won't help her, dobe."

"Asshole," Naruto huffed before he crossed his arms.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Push, Miki."

"What do you think I'm doing?" the girl snapped between gasps. God knew how long she was pushing. While time slowed down outside the delivery room, it melted into pain and pushing inside the place.

Hinata looked at one nurse silently asking for an update on the girl's status.

"She's doing fine. All rates are safely within the normal brackets."

The Hyuuga mistress nodded. That was a good sign, right?

_C'mon, Miki. Keep pushing before you'll be in danger._

After what was like an eternity or two for the three parties, Miki finally gave birth. All the medic-nins inside the room rejoice drowning out the sharp wails of the new-born baby.

Out of worry, Hinata activated her Byakugan to check for anything abnormal with the baby girl's chakra system and found none. The baby was healthy. Everything was fine. That was until one medic-nin cursed under her breath. The word had been uttered but sharply penetrated their bubble quickly announcing that something was wrong. Definitely wrong.

"She's out of the normal range!" one announced quickly.

All eyes went to Miki and true enough the girl was pale and breathing haggardly. They all scampered to do their task.

Postpartum hemorrhage, they all thought simultaneously.

Sasuke, Naruto, Shouhei and Tenten looked up when the door to where Miki burst open.

"Miki..." Shouhei trailed off when the woman just passed him by. He and Naruto looked at each other.

A moment later the woman returned and this time, she was carrying packets of blood.

"Wait!" Naruto grabbed her. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Postpartum hemorrhage," was all she said before running into the room.

For Shouhei time had stopped and the world fell silent.

"What about-" Naruto followed her and at the swing of the door, he saw nothing but red and his heart stopped beating. He was about to barge into the room when Sasuke grabbed him a bit too much that they ended up falling on their butts. Naruto remembered he hadn't bled that much during his time and knew Miki was dying.

_No!_

He scurried to his feet ready to get inside but Sasuke won't let him.

The dark-haired man kneeled behind and embraced him tight. "Calm down, dobe."

"It hurts, Sasuke," Naruto said almost in a childish manner.

"What does?"

One tanned arm wrapped around his abdomen while a tanned hand gripped his chest. "Everything."

Not giving a damn of their small audience, Sasuke covered the blonde's hands with his and leaned forward to brush his lips against the left side of his jaw. "It's okay. We'll not lose her. I know she wants to see her baby badly."

Shouhei was busily murmuring prayers to any gods and pleas to his aunt to save his wife and their baby. He sat erect when he remembered their baby. Nobody had told him anything about their child. A familiar hand on his shoulder snapped him out from his swirling thought.

"Okaasan," he whispered brokenly.

Tenten took pity of her lad and pulled him to her for a comforting embrace.

That was how Yuuzuki and Kisho found them causing the two to arch an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Yuuzuki asked.

"Miki is having postpartum hemorrhage," Sasuke informed them.

"What's that?" Kisho asked.

"Hemorrhage after childbirth," Yuuzuki explained.

"Where's the baby?" Kisho grimaced when his brother's hand landed on his head none-too-gently.

"I haven't seen you for months, Kisho. Let's do some bonding."

The boy nodded because the grip on his head was tightening in a threatening manner.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Amidst the billowing pristine bed sheets on the hospital rooftop stood two Uchiha brothers.

Yuuzuki leaned on his elbows against the rail guard. "When have you become like this, Kisho?"

The younger boy frowned in confusion and tried not to fidget under the older man's heavy gaze. "Like what?"

"You being sinister." But Yuuzuki had a good idea when. It was when he embraced his true self; realized his capabilities and skills and accepted his curse at the same time gift.

When Kisho had been pretending just to be accepted, he showed interest and like in things normal boys would. He had been an imitator but the moment he revealed himself, he cast off his chameleon skin leaving him bare with no ambition, likes and interests. He was as empty as a clean slate and a pit of directionless power. But he put efforts in finding his momentum and his direction. Everything he did was for that purpose and out of curiosity. He fought stronger men just to feel Death's cold and wiry fingers grasping his beating heart. He ran away just to experience the stolen freedom. He became a hunter-nin to have the thrill of being hunted and hunting coursing through his veins. And he would continue doing anything he liked with no thoughts of the consequences until he finds what he was looking for. Until that day comes, he was like a ball ricocheting back and forth and like a paper boat wading alternately between the waters of menace and kindness as he tried to find his own path.

"Am I?" Kisho asked innocently. He had no idea. He was just trying to protect his sister. "That baby is a threat."

"Was," the older Uchiha corrected. "Postpartum, ok?"

"It doesn't matter. I should-"

"You and her baby are the same- a threat to those who had given birth to you."

The blonde gaped at his brother.

Yuuzuki's voice dropped to a low one. "Chichiue had been pregnant when Kyuubi's powers increased."

That was nothing new. He knew that when he asked his parents why he was different.

"His life was in danger and your presence inside him made his condition worse. It came to a point that otousan had to choose between him and you. Otousan who was twice more protective of chichiue than you are with Miki chose both of you. He gave you a chance. Why can't you do the same?"

Kisho looked ashamed. "But I have to protect Miki."

"But she isn't yours to protect anymore. She's Shouhei's."

That was a reality slap.

"Is that it, niisan? You bowed out?" He almost snarled that.

Yuuzuki poked his forehead, unfazed with the boy's tone. "I'm protecting her best interests and happiness as expected from us. To protect your loved ones, you have to protect their happiness."

The blonde remained quiet.

"Whether you like it or not, you're her baby's uncle just as you're my children's uncle." And before he left, he looked over his shoulder and said, "Remember that, Kisho." His tone was calm but his eyes were dark with promised cruelty.

Alone, Kisho looked at the drifting clouds knowing Yuuzuki was right. He was always right. Miki's baby was part of his family he swore to protect until the end of time.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After a long torturous wait, an unconscious Miki on a wheeled bed emerged from the room. All her family flanked her.

"She's okay, right?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata nodded. "She did well. She'll wake up anytime soon."

"And her baby?"

"Already in the neo natal room. Her baby is a healthy girl," Hinata informed happily. "You can see her anytime you want." She looked at his nephew. "A word with you."

Shouhei who wanted to be with Miki then go see their daughter, hesitantly followed his aunt to a quiet corner.

"Miki's fine. She did great for someone who was premature and pregnant at a very early age."

"Thank you," Shouhei said gratefully.

"However, there won't be sex for the next six months and don't get her pregnant for the next three years. Understand?"

A blushing Shouhei nodded meekly. He wholeheartedly agreed to that. Hell, he wouldn't even touch her if it meant saving her.

The woman patted his back before she left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto chuckled when he and Sasuke saw their first granddaughter.

"Blond hair," Naruto stated as he almost pressed his face against the viewing window. "This just proves that the Uzumaki blood is stronger than the Hyuuga and Uchiha."

"Yeah right," the man beside him snorted.

"Sore loser."

Sasuke was about to reply when they heard a soft squeal. It was Miki supported by her husband.

"She's so cute."

"Have you thought of a name, Miki?" Shouhei asked.

"Eh? You'll let me?"

"Of course." The lad thought that after her hard work, she deserved to have such privilege.

"Amaterasu."

Three males looked at her.

"She's the first blonde in the Hyuuga clan," she explained curtly before focusing her attention to her baby.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The moment Shouhei came home with his wife and child, his house was flooded with gifts and besieged with relatives who wanted to see the new addition of the Hyuuga clan. A lot were disappointed to know that it was a girl and worse, a blonde. They also didn't like the name given to her because it obviously flaunted her difference from the rest of the clan members. But the clan leader and his wife had recognized the name so they had no choice but to do the same.

The clan elders eagerly inspected the child with their Byakugan for her potentials but found none. Could it be that she is the weakest one?

The members' thoughts and reaction never bothered Miki who was experiencing the joys motherhood brings. It didn't matter to her that Amaterasu would wake them up at some ungodly hour or upset their routine. For the first time, she felt like an ordinary child playing with her baby doll except that it was alive and very much so. It was fun but it didn't last long.

Miki's ambitious streak began manifesting her dreams showing her what could be; reminding her what she threw away and teaching her how to gain it back. It always made the girl cranky, confused and torn. She tried to resist. She really did but it courted her persistently even during her waking moments. Soon, she had been ensnared by sweet but poisonous promises.

She began distancing herself from Amaterasu and once in a while disregarded her needs. Surrounded with scrolls and engrossed with jutsus, she forgot that she was a wife and a mother. She only remembered when Amaterasu's cries break her concentration.

Shouhei had noticed the change in Miki but chalked it up as exhaustion. Whatever Miki failed to do, he would do it. He was doing his part as a husband and father and more. He tolerated every failure of his wife never questioning why she wasn't able to cook dinner or what she had been doing all day. He kept on telling himself that Miki was tired or that she was just fifteen and it was his fault. In the end, he blamed and punished himself by enduring it all wordlessly.

Her ambitious side was greedy. It wasn't enough that Miki was spending most of her time serving it. It wanted and demanded for more.

Miki sighed in irritation as Amaterasu cried again. She threw her pen down and strode towards the crib. Seeing the baby flailing her chubby arms and legs while wailing, the teen realized how much a distraction and obstacle the baby was and something came over her. Never taking her eyes away from her child, she grabbed a small pillow and pressed it against her small face.

_Okaasan? Okaasan, what are you doing? Don't you want me anymore?_

Miki applied more force wanting to drown out the cries so she could go back to her studying.

_Okaasan, I don't want to die. Let me live. Please._

Amaterasu cried harder and moved violently trying to get away from the pillow.

_Okaasan... okaasan! If you wish, then so be it._

Miki pulled the pillow when Amaterasu quieted down and went immobile. She snapped from her trance seeing her baby was blue.

"Oh my god!" she gasped and started saving her. Her hands trembled and tears of guilt flowed down as her action hit her. "Please," she murmured trying to coax the small heart to beat again. "Please."

_Why should I? Awhile ago, you wanted me dead._

"I'm sorry... Please... I'm sorry. Please..."

_Do you love me?_

"I do. I love you." She let out a cry as Amaterasu's eyes fluttered open and gazed up at her. The baby smiled and reached out to her mother.

"I'm home," Shouhei called out from the doorway causing his wife to jump. He strode to their child and gave her a smile. He chuckled as Amaterasu kept on holding her arms to her mother. "She wants you."

"No," Miki choked out causing for her husband to arch an eyebrow.

"Miki?"

"NO!" she shouted and left leaving a confused Shouhei to tend to their crying child.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki fell to her knees on the grass-covered river bank and stared at her hands. What kind of a mother is she trying to kill her child? She clenched her hands her nails painfully digging into her palm. She loved her child and yet... She definitely couldn't be trusted with her own child.

"Miki?" a surprised voice said. She looked up to see Akemi.

"Akemi-nii," she murmured as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

The lad sunk down and soothingly ran his hand across her back. "What happened?"

The blonde just shook her head. "Nothing. Just let me cry." Nobody had to know of her crime. Nobody. Ever.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"No, get her away from me!" Miki snapped at Shouhei when he tried to place their child beside her.

"You don't make sense, Miki," he retorted in an irritated and frustrated tone. It had been nine days since she started ignoring their daughter and he still couldn't figure out why. When did Miki put a barrier between them? "She needs her mother too. I can't be that for her."

"You don't understand." Of course, her husband would never understand because he didn't know what she almost committed.

"You never let me!" He frustratingly combed his hair with a hand. He couldn't make their marriage worked by himself alone. "Just be honest, Miki, are you tired of this?"

"No!" the teen answered immediately then softly she added, "I just want things to go back the way they used to be. I want to be what I used to be."

Shouhei's heart sunk at such confession but he knew it was coming. He knew all along that Miki was made of ambitions. It was one of the reasons that drew him to her and the cause that drew him away from her. He could see the ambition in her eyes burning like a furnace instead of just embers like on their wedding night. What hurt the most was Miki didn't want to compromise. Were he and Amaterasu a burden and an obstacle to her? Was their marriage a cage to her?

"I understand," he said in defeat. He was tired too. "If that's what you want." He then disappeared in a poof.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When he returned two hours later, he was bringing a divorce and child custody papers bearing his signature. It was him that placed Miki in a cage so it was up to him to set her free.

The girl looked at the documents representing her freedom. She was glad her spouse was willing to let her go even when he didn't understand her or why she wanted to be like Tsunade and then surpass her. She had always admired the blond legendary medic-nin and wanted the same strength and skill. She wanted the power Tsunade was exercising.

"I hope this will make you happy."

She nodded. "It will." She was certain it would but why was her heart aching and breaking? Why was hesitation welling up within her? Why was regret blooming quickly? This was what she wanted right?

Yes, her ambitious counterpart nodded eagerly.

She gripped the pen and moved it on the sheet. She had just written one stroke when a metallic scent wafted to their noses.

Hesitantly, slowly and fearfully, the couple looked over their shoulder. Nothing had prepared them for what they saw.

Amaterasu was gurgling blood that flowed from her mouth. But it wasn't only from her mouth. Blood trickled from her ears, eyes and nose. She was unnaturally reddish and gasping for air.

The two immediately appeared by her side to find her eyes flickering back and forth between Sharingan and Byakugan.

"W-what's going on?" Shouhei choked out.

"I don't know." All the things she learned were swept away by raw panic and fear.

"Miki!"

"Hospital," was all she could say.

The man nodded and with Amaterasu in his arms, he disappeared.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Thirty minutes later, Amaterasu was heavily sedated and supported with machines as only a trickle of chakra was allowed to flow through her. Shouhei and Miki just stared at her through the viewing window as nurses worried over her.

Shouhei looked at his blood-stained shirt and shivered touching the stains. Was his union with Miki cursed? His marriage was closing to an end and now his child was in danger.

"Shouhei! Miki!" Neji said as he moved towards them. He came to the hospital as soon as he was informed of the situation. "How is she?"

"She's just like that," his son answered weakly. "Aunt Hinata is still with Aunt Sakura discussing."

Sakura 'hmm'ed while she looked at the charts and diagrams representing Amaterasu's chakra circulatory system and her vital signs.

"It's just as you stated, Hinata," she said. It was pitiful that even within a small body the Hyuuga and Uchiha were battling putting an innocent life in danger.

Hinata nodded. The Sharingan had originated from Byakugan but it evolved to be different and with Kyuubi mixed in, it was now completely different. "One of the bloodline must be sealed but as to which, her parents must decide."

"That's a no-brainer," Sakura said then stood up. "I'll get everything ready."

"I go and explain things to them."

When the Hyuuga head matriarch went to where she was certain the couple were, Neji and Naruto were there already.

"How is she?" they all chorused.

"She's going to be fine," she said in a reassuring tone. Amaterasu had to because both her parents were too young to suffer the pain of child loss. They didn't deserve that. Nobody did. Ever. "But there are few things I want you to know."

The four nodded at the same time.

"Before, unlike Byakugan, Sharingan isn't a dominant trait until Naruto-kun came into the scene. I couldn't tell whether it was his family genes or because of Kyuubi that made it dominant."

"And?" Shouhei asked, curious and impatient all at once.

"The Sharingan and Byakugan are battling for dominance upsetting her whole system and putting her life in danger." She paused for a moment to let them comprehend it. "The only thing we can do is to seal one bloodline limit." She let her gaze land on the couple. "You're going to choose which."

"Seal the Sharingan," the two chorused. Their reason was simple. Amaterasu was a Hyuuga and she belonged to them even more the moment her mother would sign the papers.

"Does that mean the skills from Kyuubi will also be sealed considering that it is entwined with Uchiha?" Naruto asked.

"If the skill you're referring too is creating maddening illusions associated with Kyuubi, then yes. But with the ability to control plants, I don't know. I don't even know if she has it."

"Is there any possibility of getting rid of the seal when she's older and can manipulate both bloodline limits?" Neji asked too. "Are there chances that she can manipulate both?"

"Sakura and I studied her system and body structure awhile ago and saw little chances of these things to happen." With sympathy evident on her voice, she said, "sealing is the only way to save her life right now."

The four nodded and bowed. "Please do everything you can," Miki said.

Hinata nodded and left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Miki returned from the toilet, she found Shouhei inside Amaterasu's room, sitting beside her bed. Her spouse was holding a frail hand between his strong ones while murmuring something to her. Seeing that scene made feel more torn than ever. She had reached another fork in her life and this time she couldn't choose wholeheartedly because each road held something she crave. But their sweetness could only be tasted when she would give all her attention.

Sighing, she quietly left.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki arched an eyebrow when Yukina answered the door with black lines across her face and a weapon's pouch filled with fake shuriken and kunai around both of her thighs.

"Hi," the woman greeted between pants.

"There you are!" a hyped up Haruo exclaimed. "Return prince Aki to us," he demanded hotly. The scene was good except that the script no longer fit as the supposedly kidnapped prince was standing beside him and his comrade- Yuuhi.

"Can we talk?" Miki asked shyly.

Yukina's intuition told her that the younger girl needed her so she nodded and regarded her boys.

"Let's take a break," she announced and the three protested reasoning that the enemy had not yet been 'scolded' for her actions nor was she captured.

"I'm going to receive orders from my boss," she explained before giving a meaningful glance to their aunt.

"Aha!" Yuuhi said and Akihito repeated after him. Their blonde aunt chuckled at their cuteness.

"You better be ready," Miki said in what she supposed to be a wicked tone. "We'll be back to get your prince."

The two older boys scrambled to step forward and protect their prince who then hunkered to peek from the gap between their legs.

Yukina laughed wickedly as she steered her sister-in-law outside.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The two sat on both sides of a four-seat iron swing Yuuzuki placed at their backyard.

"Aren't you tired of being a mother and wife," Miki blurted out, surprising the woman.

"I do sometimes," Yukina admitted a second or two later. "Yeah, I do but being a mother and a wife isn't some job you could quit. After what was said and done, nothing could be the same." Before she could ask, the blonde girl fired another.

"What about your dreams? Your ambitions?"

In someway, the brunette had an idea where the conversation was heading. "I still have them too except that they're no longer about me alone. They're about me and Yuuzuki; me and my little boys and me, Yuuzuki and our kids." She smiled before adding, "If I think about it, I'm content of being Yuuzuki's pillar and the kids' shelter."

The girl realized that unlike her, her sister-in-law was cut out for such life and she wished she could be like her.

"No, it won't work for you," the older one said.

Miki blushed realizing that she had made her wish known.

"But you could be like chichiue- realizing his dreams while being a parent."

"That's it!" the blonde exclaimed, surprising the other female. "The kage bunshin."

"Eh?"

With that technique, she could do things at the same time. "Why didn't I think of that before?" she murmured but she knew why. She had been overwhelmed with everything making her unable to think clearly. "You're a genius," she told a still confused Yukina as she hugged her.

"You don't make sense."

"So I've been told," Miki said wryly.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Shouhei came home as was ordered by Hinata who confined Amaterasu in the hospital for observation after the sealing, he was surprised to find the floor clean from blood and a grim Miki waiting for him.

"Give me your hands," she said and the man silently did.

He watched as his soon to be ex-wife opened her fists and white shreds of paper fell on his hands and floor like some poorly done imitation of snow. He read some characters and realization made his eyes wide and his heart skipped a bit. "Wha- Why? You said this will make you happy."

"It will among other things."

Shouhei was happy but he didn't like to be led on or to be given hope and then be dropped to the ground cruelly. "I don't want you to stay because you're forced to because of responsibility," he said quietly and almost harshly.

The girl shook her head. "I'm staying because I want to... because I chose to. I'll work hard just like chichiue. I want to be a working parent."

Compromise, his mind told him. Miki is willing to compromise.

"And-a-and," she paused to take a deep breath because words were rushing to her throat as she tried to convince her husband to let her stay. "I know and won't forget who my priority is."

"Really?"

She nodded. "I won't. I promise you that because I-"

She was cut off when Shouhei embraced her "I believe you."

Miki let out a sigh of relief and returned the hug.

From her left, a cabinet glass glinted she looked at it and found her frowning reflection glaring at her.

_**You're a fool. You won't get far.**_

_You're wrong. I will because I have them. If Amaterasu struggled to live then I too will do that to achieve my goals._

_**Ridiculous.**_

_Maybe but I'm okay with it. I'm not throwing my dreams but sharing them._

_**Whatever. Do what you like.**_

_Thank you._

And the teen smiled as harmony settled in her.

**TBC**

* * *

**I'm pretty sure that all of you are disappointed that this chapter isn't a continuation of 77. But I decided to settle Miki's affairs before nosediving into Sasuke's and Naruto's. Next update would be tomorrow. I'm almost done with the chapter. If you excuse me, I have a breakfast to cook.**


	79. 罪の無い嘘

**For the last time this year, I wanted to do this.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto characters don't belong to me.**

**Warning: Yaoi, m-preg, OOC, OCs and unbeta-read**

**Author's notes: Happy new year (of the Boar).**

* * *

**Chapter 79: Secrets **

He wasn't called a master for nothing. Even when he fought, he kept an eye on the newbie because newbies had the tendency to break at the sight of killing too many people within a short span.

After he beheaded his enemy, he looked at the boy standing amidst the corpses. This was the sixth kill for Kisho but definitely his first to encounter a large group of missing-nin and bandits. But as usual, Kisho look as emotionless as their porcelain masks. What was the boy made of? He heard about him from Shougo but the boy exceeded the information his friend shared with him.

He watched impassively as the newbie burned all corpses and threw one flower.

"What's that for?" he asked.

Kisho answered, "Out of respect."

He sighed. "You're a kind person." He then remembered the way the boy kills. "Probably."

"That was an unnecessary addition."

The older man chuckled.

As Kisho expected, his evaluator recommended for him to work as a one-man team for reasons that were undisclosed. He was working alone but once in a while like now, he would meet comrades with whom he could exchange information and get acquainted with. This was one of the reasons why he was enjoying his job.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Fear reflected in big blue eyes as one by one all his loved ones turned and walked away.

"Guys, where are going?" Naruto asked in a trembling voice but his inquiry was drowned out by the sounds of footsteps. "Wait!" he said as he chased after them. "Sasuke! Iruka-sensei!" But his voice didn't reach them. Desperation clawed within him as they drew farther and farther away, taking the light with them.

Naruto scrambled to his feet and chased after that ball of light representing his treasured persons. His shadow shifted as he ran faster and faster while the ball became smaller and smaller.

_Don't leave me alone. Don't go._

Hope flared within him as he almost caught up with his target. He reached out and felt warmth at the tip of his cold fingers when they brushed against the light.

The yell of joy which was about to spill from his lips as he was close to enclosing it with his hand became a strangled cry as the ball completely vanished. Naruto fell on his knees, his world dark and cold.

"Why did you leave me?" he murmured as tears gently slipped from his eyes.

And he woke up crying quietly and feeling bad and cold. He turned to his side where Sasuke was peacefully sleeping. He clenched his aching chest. The dream, no, nightmare felt so real making the pain twice unbearable.

"Sasuke," he whispered urgently and desperately. The other man grunted. "Sasuke."

Another grunt before he was answered with a sleepy murmur of 'what?'.

"Hold me," he pleaded while entwining their hands together. He waited for a response by words or movement but it didn't come. He sucked in a deep breath. He told himself that it was okay. Sasuke was tired and that it was selfish of him to wake the latter up just so he had someone to share the pain with. He turned to his side of the bed feeling ridiculously bad at being rejected.　A second later, he felt Sasuke leaned over him, pulling him back against him while trailing soft lips on his tanned neck.

"You're not obliged. If you don't feel like doing it, then don't," he snapped but he let himself be pushed on his back.

Sasuke chuckled deeply making tanned skin crawl in anticipation. "Obliged? Definitely not. I breathe for this among other things." He let his fingertips lightly brushed against his spouse's right arm making him shiver.

"You were crying" he stated quietly. He kissed both eyes before licking the wet trail made by his tears. He didn't ask for a reason or for an explanation because he knew. Not because he was a genius or because Naruto was easy to read but because he was in perfect tune with the blonde's emotions.

Sasuke dipped his head to sweetly plunder the offered mouth and took his time in doing so. He moaned as Naruto pressed his tongue against his before mimicking each of his movement.

Naruto raised his arms and slowly wound it around the man hovering above him. He spread his legs wider to accommodate another pair of legs before he let his own draped over it. He closed his eyes as Sasuke grazed his chin with his teeth slowly... teasingly before he sucked it suggestively, making him remember those times when that sinful mouth engulfed another part of him. Naruto clutched his collar in frenzied heat.

"I won't leave you," Sasuke whispered to his ear between nibbling and tugging but he knew his wife needed more than words. He worked on his dobe's pajamas, displaying and tasting tanned skin inch by inch. He let his teasing tongue and skillful mouth to work its magic to ignite the flame and chase the coldness coiling around his wife's heart.

Naruto clenched his eyes shut as he felt wet and hot muscle familiarly tracing his seal then bucked as the muscle thrust in and out of his bellybutton. "More…" he ordered after a soft grunt. "Sasuke," he breathed wantonly and instinctively opened his legs as his bastard bit his inner thighs.

Sasuke rubbed his cheek against one inner thigh appreciating the smoothness of the skin. From the corner of his eyes, he witness Naruto's engorged manhood spurting precum. Hungry black eyes followed the liquid's descend to the place his manhood twitch to slip in. High with the blonde's musky scent, he leaned down and enclosed the tip with his lips.

Naruto cried out, his eyes wide-open, dazed and glazed. He gripped the headboard when he felt the suction as Sasuke started sipping. He wanted more of that mouth. He wanted to be sheath by it. He moaned as he testily moved his hips but unfortunately the other man wasn't in the mood for a blow job.

The dark-haired man rained light kisses on the straining shaft, letting his hot breath teased it some more before licking his way up where Naruto's mouth waited for his. While locked in what looked like to be an endless passionate kiss, Naruto squeezed Sasuke's butt before pulling his groin down. With a muffled sigh, he ground their hips together. With grunts and unpredictable movement, he coaxed Sasuke to rock with and against him.

"You're still in your clothes," the blonde murmured between flicks of his tongue.

"Unfortunately, yes," Sasuke replied with a shudder.

"You won't be within five seconds."

Sasuke grunted as Naruto marked him properly while attacking his clothes. Both of them moaned and shuddered as their erections rubbed against one another. They murmured each other's name at the same time while gazing into each other's eyes - hungry and intense obsidian eyes on lustful and smoldering blue ones.

"Sasuke," Naruto murmured again while a hand settled smoothly on pale nape. He folded his legs and slightly raised his hips. "Sasuke," he breathed in a needy manner.

Sasuke ran his hand on his wife's chest while reaching for a lube.

"I don't need it. Just you. That's all," Naruto told him while one tanned pointer finger traced his swollen lips.

Sasuke let out a deep breath as he slowly buried himself into the body beneath him. He let himself be hugged as discomfort and pain flooded his blonde's senses. He massaged Naruto's thighs and left long-lasting markings on his neck to block the pain away.

A moment later, Naruto shifted beneath him and he knew he could move. The blonde reached up and cupped his handsome face. "Slow. Let's do this slowly."

"I'll try to," was Sasuke's reply as he pulled out then slid inside again.

Naruto nodded too dazed to really comprehend and speak. He closed his eyes savoring the feeling of Sasuke's hard erection sliding in and out and crashing against his erogenous spot. He basked under his warmth letting his libido take control of his incoherent mumblings and wanton movements. He moved with his husband, riding the latter's rhythm loving how his own length rubbed between their bellies.

"Do you feel me, Naruto?" the dark-haired man asked between thrusts and grunts.

"Yeah," he answered dragging each word into a sigh. "I feel your heat… consuming and … and unwavering and… Oh God!" His blue eyes darkened seeing too many stars and colors all at once.

"And you'll never lose this heat… this flame. You'll have me."

The blonde could only nod as his mind had been turned into jelly and his whole vocabulary had been wiped clean by passion and desire.

Sasuke gripped the pillow at the sensation building within and gripping him. The speed of their movement was a torture. He could feel Naruto's velvety walls and his sinewy muscles making him heady with pleasure.

He groaned. Everything was too much but he wanted more. "Naruto," he murmured, his eyes seeking permission to ram himself into the writhing mass of desire that was Naruto's body.

Naruto gazed at him through half-lidded eyes and mouthed the word 'slowly'. The other grunted in displeasure but followed the blonde's wishes.

In and out, deeper. In and out, hotter. In and out, closer. In and out, he gave more. In and out, he took more. In and out, he lost himself in the maelstrom of passion. In and out, they sent each other to heaven.

Naruto automatically arched his body as he reached his orgasm that draped blinding brightness in everything, gone was the coldness and darkness. There was just Sasuke. He opened his eyes and Sasuke was still there, staring at him intensely. He gave him a sexy sedated smile and the Uchiha returned it tenfold.

"Let's be like this," he said when Sasuke was about to break their union. The latter nodded, gathered the former in his arms and lay on his back, his wife on top of him.

"Thanks."

Sasuke chuckled. "Only an idiot thanked his husband after a round of lovemaking, dobe."

"I'm just grateful, bastard."

"Really now." Sarcasm.

Naruto stuck out his tongue which Sasuke eagerly engulfed in his mouth.

"Pervert!" he murmured breathlessly after the kiss ended.

"As if I was the one who woke his spouse up for lovemaking," Sasuke retorted, making the blonde blushed.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Iruka placed a hand against Kakashi's cheek as he apologized weakly.

The silver-haired jounin leaned into that touch before gripping the hand. "You should have rested when I said so in that way you wouldn't have ended up like this and you wouldn't have scared the hell out of me."

The sick man gave him a sheepish smile and was about to apologize again when Kakashi pressed a finger against dry and cracked lips. "Don't worry about it. Just rest and get well-"

"Iruka-senseiii," came that all too familiar shriek from hallway. The two men sighed. Naruto never changed.

They expectantly looked at the door and a second later a very worried Naruto burst in. He would have jump into the bed if not for Sasuke restraining him.

"The almighty Uchiha couple," Kakashi said and nodded. But Naruto ignored him and flew to his so-called father's side.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly and held the sick man's hands. Before the other man could answer, the blonde continued. "I'm sorry we only came now. Yuuzuki didn't tell us as soon as he and Yukina received news that you collapsed somewhere, was carried to the hospital and got confined. We were told you have a flu. Is that true? You have medicine, right? And you're taking them, hm? I want to see your doctor's diagnosis. Who's your doctor again? I'd like to speak with him."

Iruka massaged his temples, feeling an oncoming headache due to Naruto's rapid talking. Sasuke noticed this and clamped a hand over the blonde's mouth. Such gesture made him the receiving end of a glare.

"What the hell was that, bastard?" Naruto hissed.

"You're giving Iruka-sensei a headache, dobe. Give him a break."

But the dobe wasn't done yet. He felt like ranting. He was worried for Pete's sake!

"You're such a hypocrite, sensei," Naruto said quietly. "You keep on telling me..." He locked gazes with the brunette before he started imitating the latter perfectly. "'Take enough rest, Naruto.' 'Naruto, don't push yourself too hard. You have a limit.' 'Eat. Never forget to eat.'" He glared. "Look who's confined here?"

Kakashi never interrupted the blonde's rant because Iruka deserved it greatly. Let his former student say what he really wanted to say.

Go, Naruto! He mentally cheered.

"I can take care of myself perfectly," Iruka snapped defensively.

"Except that your 'perfectly' landed you here."

"How dare you!"

"See if I ever listen to your advices again."

"Ha! As if you ever did."

"We aren't going to stop them, are we?" Sasuke ask the man who was seated beside him. Like him, Kakashi watched the happening impartially.

"Leave them." It was best to let them vent everything out without interruption especially when their tempers were flaring.

Quietly, they continued watching the on-going verbal battle where neither of the two looked like giving up soon. The two geniuses rolled their eyes when the topic shifted to each other's faults and failures that happened a long time ago.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

An hour later, Sasuke, Kakashi and Naruto were at the hospital canteen taking their lunch while a worn out Iruka was sleeping. The oldest among the three smiled as the blonde continued muttering while slurping his noodles.

"He'll be okay, Naruto," he said. He seemed amused with the fact that it was him that was giving comfort and reassurance instead of receiving them. However, it couldn't be help because Naruto's worry was equivalent to that of four or five persons.

The blonde none-too-gently placed his ramen bowl on the table; took the offered tissue from Sasuke and wiped the sides of his mouth before saying, "I don't want to lose him."

"You're exaggerating," Sasuke commented. "You won't lose him anytime soon besides its just a flu."

The jounin nodded in agreement.

"We all know it's a flu but what if it isn't?" The two men looked at him in confusion. "It might be something worse and Iruka-sensei is just lying about it like I..." he trailed off as he realized his mistake.

"Lie?" Sasuke echoed, looking very interested.

"I'm referring about my research."

"You said you were hiding it. Hiding and lying are two different things."

The blonde crossed his arms over his chest and pout. "Don't mind such small things, bastard." But the damage had been done. Naruto's slip had alerted Sasuke. And the dynamics of their not-so-dormant rivalry threw them into a competition of hiding their own while trying to reveal the secret of the other. The game had started and both participants knew it. Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other. The former was smirking while the latter was smiling stupidly as they tried to lull each other into false security...

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The next day, Naruto came to visit Iruka again and this time, he brought a basket of fruits with him. He grinned when Sasuke gave the bedside seat to him.

"I got you apples," he melodiously told the older man before deftly peeling and slicing it.

Kakashi was about to reach for a slice when a whole apple was tossed to him.

"Peel it yourself because you're not sick," the blonde said.

"So cruel, Naruto," the jounin commented dramatically.

"Medicine time," Sakura announced as she stepped inside.

"Eh? You were demoted to a nurse?" Naruto asked. He didn't remember signing any demotion papers.

"Idiot," she murmured. "I'm having my break and on my way, there was a nurse on her way here bringing sensei's medicine."

The blonde nodded. "Let's finish this, Iruka-sensei so you can take your medicine. Say 'ahh'."

"I'm not a baby," the chuunin hissed; grabbed the fork and chomped the slice of apple.

The two were busy fighting over the fork that they didn't notice the silent interaction Sasuke and Sakura had. Kakashi saw the two nodded their heads in agreement before Sakura announced her departure.

A moment later, Sasuke excused himself and Kakashi did the same.

When both men turned to the left corner, Kakashi gripped Sasuke's right shoulder. "You're being foolish, Sasuke."

"It's none of your business," a scowling Sasuke retorted.

"You'll only hurt, Naruto."

"Stay out of this. I'm doing this for him because he couldn't…"

The jounin sighed and let the young man shrugged his hand. Even if he was their former teacher, he still couldn't understand them at all.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke and Sakura met at the part of the rooftop that gave them the privacy they needed for their discussion.

"You can access Tsunade's files about Naruto, right?" Sasuke asked his eyes hard and unreadable.

The kunoichi nodded. Of course she had. She could have Naruto's files anytime she wanted. Tsunade wasn't an idiot. She knew she was running out of time and she needed someone to take over her position as Naruto's doctor when she dies. However, it wasn't just anyone. It had to be someone who knew the blonde a lot and had excellent medical skills and Sakura fit the description perfectly.

"All of them?"

"Yes. Why?"

"The dobe seemed to be hiding something. I want you to check his medical files. Can you do that for me?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Of course."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

No one raised their eyebrows or question when they saw Sakura walked into Tsunade's office even if the top brass of the Medic-nin association was having a day off. It was not unnatural to see the pink-haired medic-nin walking into her office with our without Tsunade.

Sakura opened the drawer exclusively reserved for Naruto. The drawer contained all of his files. Manicured figures skimmed the pages until she reached the recent files. Naruto's attendance in his check-up was consistent and she reasoned out that it was because the blonde was still afraid of Tsunade's monstrous strength. She let her eyes quickly scanned the reports. There was nothing wrong. Most of the observations were the same as the previous years.

Sasuke must have just been paranoid, she thought. That happened to a lot of people who kept secrets of their own. But telling Sasuke about what she found won't convince the former without any evidences. She made hand seals quickly and used a technique medic-nins found it to be useful always – a document copy technique.

She handed the copied documents to Sasuke at one of their rendezvous. She watched as black eyes moved to scan each document, judging their validity.

Sasuke frowned. Sakura was right nothing was wrong. The reports showed that Naruto was healthy so why… Could it be that Tsunade was not writing a lot of things in the blonde's records? But wouldn't that be stupid of her? What if she dies? Sakura would have a hard time looking after Naruto with all the missing information. No, Tsunade couldn't lie. Naruto was too precious for her. She would write everything about Naruto even the smallest details. Mentally sighing, he admitted that he was paranoid. But a small voice in his head told him that he was wrong, his wife was indeed keeping a secret and doing it very well.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto's right hand stopped midway to the basin when a faint sweet smell wafted to his nose. He looked at the unwashed shirt.

Sasuke's, his mind eagerly supplied.

Just to make sure that such scent came from his spouse black shirt, he brought it to his nose. There was no mistake. But why would Sasuke carry such scent. Could it be that his spouse went to a brothel? But why would he? He had him who had been turning his sexual fantasies into reality and if he- Sasuke wants a female body, he- Naruto won't hesitate to use his Oiroke no jutsu. No, Sasuke wasn't cheating on him. Definitely not, right.

Silence and stillness.

Right. He trusted Sasuke. So when he faced his husband right after he did the laundry, Naruto gave him a quick kiss before skipping to the kitchen to make breakfast.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After the sniffing and smelling he did on his spouse's shirts, he finally determined that the sweet smell on Sasuke's shirts was old rose scent and it was so familiar. But no matter how hard he tried in recalling the name and the face of the woman who wears such perfume, lingered at the edges of his consciousness, dancing away from his seeking hands. He was certain their house had nothing that had a scent remotely close to that of old rose even when Miki was around.

In his opinion, Sasuke hadn't changed. He was still an obedient subordinate, a bastard of a partner, a responsible father, a passionate lover and a caring husband. And yet, doubt steadily grew within him and flowed through his veins like poison, eating his trust and blackening his heart.

At night, he would stare at the sleeping form of his spouse wondering where he went to; what he did; who he spent his time with and who he was seeing in his dreams. And no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't bring himself to ask or to accuse because he was too much of a coward to face the consequences.

He lovingly caressed one pale cheek and whispered his name softly. And if Sasuke would open his eyes at that moment, he would see how bad Naruto was drowning.

"I'm off to train the whole day with my team," Sasuke told Naruto one day.

The blonde nodded and gave him a smile. "Don't push yourself too hard," he said knowing that the man trained as if there was no tomorrow. "Do you want anything special for dinner and dessert?"

Smirking, Sasuke replied before disappearing.

"You."

A blushing Naruto wondered if Sasuke was really flirting with him or just putting up an act. He scowled at himself not liking how he questioned the motives behind the other man's actions. All his life he was never cynical when it comes to Sasuke's acts even when he returned to Konoha after his defection. He never did that was until now and it left a bad taste in his mouth.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

That afternoon, Naruto walked into Ichiraku and found Sasuke's team sitting in one of the booths.

Hiko spotted him and smiled. Thinking that Sasuke was there too, he bounded to their seats only to find that the table was set for three. In fact, there were even no traces of Sasuke's presence.

"Captain not seeing you today?" Naruto asked casually.

"'We'll train tomorrow' was what he said. He wanted us to get some rest," Yanagi explained.

"Good advice," their hokage said. He smiled even though he felt sick knowing that Sasuke had lied to him.

When he returned home, it was already past midnight and Sasuke was asleep. Just in case that his spouse would have him for a late dinner and dessert, he took two fast-acting sleeping pills. Few minutes later, Naruto was dead to everything around him.

When Sasuke woke up, he arched an eyebrow when he saw his dobe at the farthest side of their bed, curled in a fetal position and hugging his own self. He thought it was strange. He could not recall a time when Naruto wouldn't snuggle against his 'walking heater' as the latter cheekily put it so why now? He leaned to the side, ready to wake his wife up when he remembered that the latter came home late. He decided to let him sleep. He righted the blanket around Naruto who shivered when their skin made contact. The dark-haired man wasn't bothered by this at the very least. He was so busy keeping his secret that he didn't saw the shiver for what it was- a warning of an incoming thunderstorm.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The scent of old rose was mocking him, Naruto speculated. Wherever he went, he smelled it even when he was inhaling his ramen. It was both irritating and frustrating to be haunted by something that made his darkening heart clenched. He washed his nose almost every hour much to Konohamaru's confusion and even tried breathing through his mouth but it was still there, taunting him.

One night, when he was hovering over the blurry lines between dreams and reality, the answer was finally revealed to him like a whispered melody of a long forgotten song.

Sakura.

He bolted to a sitting position as if struck by a lightning. Suddenly, his stomach felt queasy. He was nauseous. He lunged to the toilet, oblivious that his actions jarred Sasuke from his slumber.

The dark-haired man stared at the darkness while listening to the retching sounds coming from the toilet. Was Naruto pregnant? He was about to follow his blonde when the latter stepped out and joined him. He rolled over and murmured his wife's name.

Naruto scowled but Sasuke didn't saw it. "Not now," the former whispered with a hint of irritation. "I'm not in the mood."

The Uchiha leader arched an eyebrow. Sign of mood swings? If it was then the chances of them having a fifth child were high. And he fell asleep and dreamt of him holding their fifth child, totally oblivious of Naruto's speculation.

**TBC**

* * *

I stumbled upon this site: http // www naruto-nippon net / programme . php?s(equals)oiroke

To make it short it's a compilation of some of Naruto characters in their Oiroke no jutsu after losing a challenge. Gaara's performance is very good especially his second appearance but that's expected from Ishida who voice acted on some yaoi anime. Next is Kakashi, the man is good. Definitely good. Chouji's is hilarious especially when he goes like "My waist… my waist… my waist is bigger than my bust." Shikamaru was still in character in his and I could hug him for that. Sasuke's…. Well his adlib was bad but Non-tan admitted it personally that he's bad at it. The only reason why I kinda like his performance was because he performed it with Naruto and I was like "A dash of SasuNaru. Yey!" Anyway, check them out but please be warned that your image of the characters would never be the same again.

The equal sign doesn't show up so just chance the (equals) into that sign.


	80. 嫌疑

**Happy New Year!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto characters belongs to Kishimoto-sama.**

**Warning: SasuNaru, Yaoi, M-preg, OOC , OCs and beta-read**

**Author's notes: To all those unsigned reviewers, if you don't mind please leave your e-mail address so I can reply to you privately. I hate posting replies in my chapters, you see. O-ne-gai **

**

* * *

****Chapter 80: Suspicion**

"Once more the power of youthful spirit emerged victorious," Lee announced as he stepped into the hokage office. With a flourish associated with the green beasts of Konoha, handed his report. "Is your flame dying, Naruto-kun?" Lee asked, noticing how pale the blonde was.

Naruto saw the question as an opportunity to spend some quality time with his friend.

_Lee, do you know? Or are you as clueless as me?_

"I've been staying too long in this room. Let's take a walk, shall we?"

The special jounin nodded. "Let my passion for life breathe strength to your dying flame," he announced with determination glinting in his eyes. When he looked at where his friend had been standing ago, he found it empty. He whirled around just in time to see the blonde stepping outside. "Naruto-kun, wait!"

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The two strolled along the tree-lined path that led to one of the training grounds. While one of the green beasts had a light bounce in his steps, the Rokudaime dragged his. The former walked quietly waiting for the latter to speak.

"How are you and your family, Fuzzy eyebrows?"

For a second, Lee looked confused before he answered, "Fine. Everybody is living their life to the fullest just as I wanted them to."

Naruto wondered if cheating on spouses was one of the ways in living life to the fullest.

"What about you?" Lee asked. He had no idea where their conversation was headed to but decided to go along the flow. "Must be happy to have four adorable grandkids. It seems my children have no plans to marry at all." He proceeded in wiping non-existent tears.

"I've been busy running the village, I barely have time for my family." And perhaps that was the reason why Sasuke went to Sakura. If he resigns from his seat of power, what are the chances of his spouse coming back to him?

"Sakura is busy too."

_I know. She's busy with my husband._

"Naruto-kun?"

"Huh?"

"Shall we spar? I'm sure it will get rid of your sickly appearance."

The blonde nodded.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Obsidian eyes slowly moved as Sasuke followed every move Naruto made. For the past few days, the blonde gave him little to no attention. He seemed to be distant and way too moody but he- Sasuke didn't question. He assumed that it was due to pregnancy but he wondered when Naruto would tell that he was carrying their fifth child.

"Dobe, I'm going to train," he announced, standing from his chair.

"Take care," his wife said almost indifferently. "Have fun."

Sasuke had no doubt that there was sarcasm in his voice. He looked over his shoulder ready to demand what the blonde's problem was but his wife had already disappeared. He sighed while he wondered if a silently bitching Naruto was a punishment of a crime he wasn't aware of committing.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto knew Sasuke was better than him in stealth and stalking and he also knew that he- Naruto was better than Sakura in those departments. And so, it was Sakura whom he trailed after.

He silently perched on a tree branch and peered through leaves when his target stopped in front of a locksmith's shop. A few seconds later, Sasuke emerged from the store and Naruto immediately closed his eyes wanting to forget what was happening. He clenched his chest which was beating painfully. He suspected. He found out. He expected it but why did seeing them hurt a lot? Stupid heart. Why couldn't his heart be as logical as his mind, anyway?

When he opened his eyes, his husband and close friend were gone but it was okay. It was better that they left because at that moment he couldn't. He felt hot and cold. He wanted to cry at the same time laugh. He couldn't understand why he felt such conflicting emotions at the same time. He ungracefully landed on the ground and vomited nothing but water. Naruto doubled over as pain wracked his body. In reflex, he gripped the grass beneath his left hand.

_Tsunade baa-chan, this is unbearable._

But he couldn't make up which was unbearable- the pain in his heart or in his stomach.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Was yesterday not enough, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked. Both of them were at Amaguriya because Sakura wanted to eat yokan on her rest day.

"Would I be here if it was?"

"Everything is happening too fast. Can't we take it slow? It won't be good at this pace."

"But Naruto..." he trailed off. His instincts told him that Naruto had started having his suspicions.

"Is your husband and you should tell him," Sakura stated. "It can't go on like this forever."

"You make it sound like this is bad. I'm not the only one keeping secrets here."

The kunoichi sighed. "I can't believe you still think that way. I showed you his medical files."

"It may not be about his health," Sasuke hissed, his irritation matching Sakura's. The woman would never understand. He, himself couldn't either. It was just that his guts told him that Naruto was hiding something.

"Let's calm down. We didn't meet to argue, right?"

"Hn."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

His love for Sasuke was unquestionable. That much Naruto knew. So even when jealousy had fully bloomed in his chest like a flower in full spring, he decided that he'd let Sasuke be. If he finds completion and happiness in the arms of anyone then so be it. Besides, it was still him whom Sasuke went home to. But for how long? He didn't know and it didn't matter. As much as he wanted to confront Sasuke or murder Sakura, he found himself abiding the bastard's choice. He didn't know why but he was giving way to him.

It didn't occur to the blonde that he was close to treating himself like a second-hand shoe ready to be thrown away or that he was degrading himself by letting Sasuke do whatever pleased him.

"You're questionably in a good mood tonight," Sasuke added casually as he dried his hair with a towel.

Like the previous nights, He had come home near midnight then went to shower. Naruto immediately reasoned that it was the man's way of getting rid of the smell during his and Sakura's tryst.

"I'm just happy," he said with a shrugged of his shoulders while chewing on a pen.

The dark-haired man padded to him and took the pen away. "It's distracting," he murmured huskily, his eyes intently focus on soft lips.

"It is now, isn't it?" he countered with a foxy smile.

"Yeah."

Blue eyes swept over pale chest before landing on one particular anatomy. Obviously his spouse's mistress couldn't tire the dark-haired man out the way he did. He smirked at the man in front of him before licking his lips provocatively. Naruto let out a gasp as pale fingers grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled him forward.

Sasuke shivered in pleasure and excitement as Naruto kissed him with an intensity that made his toes curl. He leaned forward, pushing the blonde on his back and covering his body with his own. He lightly brushed the hem of Naruto's favorite orange shirt before snaking one adventurous hand.

They never broke their passionate liplock, not until Sasuke had to get rid of the shirt. It was just a few seconds but it was enough to rip the offending shirt from the blonde's head; to take big gulps of air and to make them needy once more. Their mouths crashed again for another fiery dance.

Naruto moaned, tilted his head more and opened his mouth wider. He arched his body allowing Sasuke to slip his boxers and pants down. He moaned as his hard-on came in contact with the towel wrapped around Sasuke's waist. In a blink of an eye, he had his spouse as naked as him. Impulsively, he rocked his hips against his husband's causing a moan to explode from the other man's abused lips.

Sasuke painstakingly left marks on tanned neck before he moved southward leaving a burning trail on flushed body.

Everything was more than okay. It was hot and consuming and things would have escalated if not for Naruto's brain coming up with images of Sasuke and Sakura, causing him to stiffen. Those two expert hands which were everywhere and that splendid mouth on his stomach, were the source of his close friend's pleasure.

Confusion became Sasuke when the blonde pushed him away and noticed the latter's flagging erection.

"I can't," Naruto choke out.

"Why?" Sasuke asked while touching the other's manhood to harden it once more.

The blonde shied away from his touch. Before, the dark-haired man could react further, he grabbed his clothes and disappeared leaving a bewildered and unsatisfied Sasuke.

What the hell is going on? Sasuke asked while wiping his pre-cum-stained hand with his towel. He decided to search for his blonde after a very cold shower.

_Why are you like this?_

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Iruka groaned as he stumbled into the hallway and opened the door.

"Naruto?" he croaked.

"Sorrytoilet," Naruto stated in one breath before rushing to the toilet and vomited everything he had that night.

Instead of following his so-called son, Iruka went to the kitchen to boil water.

The blonde closed his eyes as he saw specks of blood on what he threw up. Weakly, he stood up and flushed any traces of his condition. He washed his mouth before joining Iruka in the kitchen. When he got there, a bed-draggled Kakashi was there.

"Sorry for waking you up," he said. He flinched as a cup was thrust into his hands, its heat in complete contrast with the coldness of his skin.

"Shouldn't you be in your bed," Kakashi stated, his eye observing the blonde.

"Couldn't sleep so I decided to take a stroll."

"I see," the man said, humoring the blonde who was obviously lying. Before he could say anything else, he felt Iruka squeezed his left thigh threateningly.

"Do you still feel sick? Are you okay?" the brunette asked.

"It's just an upset stomach. Probably caused by the grasshoppers I ate this morning."

Iruka made a face while Kakashi smiled. It wasn't a lie. Both men knew he went to a nearby village to honor the village chief who was celebrating his hundredth year birthday and all foods served to guests of honor like Naruto were exotic. The only thing that looked edible were frogs and grasshoppers. Of course, he refused to eat or touch the latter as it felt he was eating Gamabunta and his family. The grasshoppers didn't taste bad. In fact it tasted good but his stomach didn't feel the same way and it took his nausea he felt towards Sasuke and Sakura's affair an opportunity to reveal its opinion.

"Can I crash here for tonight?" he asked a sympathetic Iruka and completely avoided the ever sharp Kakashi. He was about to make his speculation known when Iruka's toes pinched his left leg. "Sure," he heard his spouse say. "You can also use the shower if you want."

Naruto gave them a brilliant smile before he trudged his way to the shower.

Lukewarm water hid his hot tears while his sobs were being drowned out by pattering sounds of water as they hit the tiled floor. This time, he didn't seek comfort knowing it won't come.

"You go ahead," Kakashi told his spouse when the latter stood up to go back to their bedroom. "I feel like staying here longer."

"Don't stay too long," the brunette said affectionately making the other man grin.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke nodded to one of the guards stationed at the hokage tower before he left. He had been looking for Naruto for quite some time, going to places were the blonde frequented a lot. At first, he checked the Uchiha compound then the Hokage sleeping quarters then the Hokage office before he decided to go to Kakashi's place where he knew the blonde won't go

at the middle of the night and rudely wake the couple up. Before Sasuke could push the doorbell, the door swung open.

"I've been waiting for you," Kakashi said in a form of greeting and Sasuke knew Naruto was there. "Had a fight?"

"No. He just left suddenly," Sasuke replied as he made his way inside. "He's getting stranger and stranger everyday."

The older could detect frustration and confusion from the younger man's voice. "He's just probably tired," he assured, conveniently forgetting to mention that the blonde had emptied his stomach. He didn't want to add worry to what his former student was feeling. "The door on the left," he answered helpfully.

The Uchiha leader nodded and walk into the room. He padded to the bed where one body lie forlornly. Under the ribbons of soft silver light, Sasuke could make out the frown gracing soft feature. Softly, he tried smoothening Naruto's look.

And if the blonde choose that moment to wake up from his abstract dream of shifting shadows, he would have seen love darkening Sasuke's inky eyes and would have question what he believed. But he was emotionally spent and sleep made him numb to everything like a drug.

After making sure that Naruto would be warm through the remaining night, he went home because he could feel that Naruto won't appreciate his presence but he decided that he'd talk to Naruto when morning comes.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto let out a pain-filled gasp as he was slammed against a wall. To attack him inside the hokage tower, along the hallway that led to his office no less... only an idiot would do such thing.

"You've been avoiding me," a very familiar voice hissed.

Or one of the best ANBU captains who happened to be a member of ANBU's highest echelon and his husband. He gulped before looking at glaring eyes.

"I'm not," he retorted defensively.

Did his dobe think that he was stupid? Sasuke wondered. It was obvious that Naruto was avoiding him. Both of them had reached the tower at the same time but the blonde acted like he didn't see anyone; they had breakfast at the canteen and Naruto left even though he wanted to stay and they met at the hallway and the blonde detoured.

"Then what the hell are you doing?" Sasuke demanded while keeping the struggling blonde in place.

Naruto struggled more. How could he be near when he knew he wasn't the only one now? How couldn't he struggle when the source of his pain was imprisoning him between a wall and his body that knew pleasure that he- Naruto didn't cause.

"Let go," he begged.

"Not until you tell me why you're acting like this or why you left suddenly and stayed at Iruka-sensei's place."

"If I'll tell you, would you let go of me?"

"Deal."

Naruto took a deep breath and stared into black pools. "I have an erectile dysfunction," he confessed in a whisper. He didn't bother gauging his husband's reaction as he swiftly freed himself. He had just taken one step when he was slammed back to the wall again. Naruto pressed his head against the flat surface when Sasuke's dangerously calm face came unbearably close.

"I don't fucking believe you," the ANBU captain growled, his lips slightly brushing against the blonde's. "You were fine last night."

"I couldn't keep it up for long." Sasuke detected the desperation in his voice. "Now let go before anyone would see us." Unfortunately for the blonde, he didn't give a damn on who would see him- an ANBU captain pining the hokage- his superior against the wall.

"I don't believe you," Sasuke repeated with a hard glint in his eyes. And much to the blonde's horror, he realized Sasuke would kiss him right there and then. But instead of protesting, he gave the man a challenging smile.

"Naruto! Sasuke-kun!" came a familiar voice just as their lips met for the briefest seconds.

Both males look to their left to see Sakura. Naruto's mind brilliantly observed how the three of them formed an isosceles triangle but a triangle nonetheless. They had reverted back to their early teens except that this time things were different. He pushed away from Sasuke who was glaring at the guilty-looking kunoichi.

"Sorry to disturb you guys but-"

"It's okay. Sasuke and I are done. He's all yours," Naruto said before briskly adding, "I expect you guys to be prompt during the mission briefing."

"What was that all about?" Sakura asked. She could feel the sharpness coating her friend's words.

"I was about to find out when you rudely interrupted."

"Sorry but I got worried when you didn't show up in my office," she reasoned. "We only have few minutes left before the meeting. We have to be quick."

"Hn."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Simple," Hiko commented.

"I wouldn't assign Sakura if it's as simple as it sounds," Naruto said. "I want you guys to be careful. I expect your presence here one week from now."

Everyone nodded. Knowing that Sasuke was staring at him, he looked at the former and grinned. He grinned even when his mind was busy speculating the things Sasuke and Sakura would do. He grinned even when it hurt to look at Sasuke knowing he wasn't his anymore. Exclusively his that is.

When the team had left, Naruto massaged his temples before he sighed. He glanced at his right and asked his secretary, "If you are blue, which would you prefer, orange or pink?"

Konohamaru had known Naruto for a long time and had served him as his secretary for a great length of time and yet there were moments like now when he didn't have any inkling of how the blonde's mind works.

"I don't have any idea how to answer that," he replied honestly.

His superior waved his hand. "That's okay. You don't have to answer because I made up my mind already." And he smiled, totally optimistic about his life without Sasuke.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The moment Sasuke stepped into the village four days later he felt like he hadn't left at all. His thoughts were nothing but of that of his wife. His mind was stuck in the village. In fact, he couldn't remember anything about the mission or how many people he killed because he was working in automatic mode.

He, together with his team and Sakura, made their way to the hokage office where Shikamaru instead of Naruto awaited for them.

The lazy lit his cigarette before saying, "office-in-charge." It was obvious anyway because he was seated on the couch with the coffee table filled with troublesome work. "Let's start the debriefing..."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

An hour later, Sasuke was already walking to the front door of his home. He was about to slid it open when Akemi from the inside opened it. The two looked surprised as if they were looking at the time mirror then blinked.

"Welcome home," the younger Uchiha greeted. "I'm leaving."

Sasuke nodded, "don't let your guard down."

Akemi smiled. He was about to leave when he remembered something. "I received a letter from Kisho. I posted it on the kitchen table. And chichiue is acting strange. I mean, he's not in his, I quote 'Naruto strangeness'. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" His father had to because he couldn't put a finger on his chichiue's strangeness. Sometimes, he'd find the man staring into space or looking at pictures with a longing look. When asked what he was doing, his chichiue shrugged his shoulders before claiming that he was just a sentimental fool and immediately requested that he- Akemi treat him to ramen.

"More or less, I do," Sasuke answered, snapping his dead-ringer from his thoughts. "I'll worry about him. Now, don't get yourself killed during mission."

Akemi smirked before he left.

Sasuke trudged his way to his room feeling tired and sleepy. He looked at the bed contemplating whether he should take a shower and sleep or skip the shower part when he noticed a white envelope on top of ironed and folded clothes Naruto had prepared for his use after his shower.

He picked the envelope immediately assuming it was a love letter from his sweet wife. He let it pass that the dobe didn't use a stationery. That didn't matter to the Uchiha leader who was eagerly unfolding the white paper.

His world and his time jarred to a sudden stop and stilled to silence as he stared at the paper, blinked then stared again to make sure that it was a divorce paper he was holding and not the love letter he assumed. A second later when he was really certain, he felt himself falling from heaven to the ground then plunging to hell where his heart had plummeted the very second he stared at the document.

Stupid, moronic, idiotic and foolish blonde. What was he trying to achieve?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The slamming of the door jarred Shikamaru from his lazy stupor. He opened his eyes to see a very furious Sasuke.

"Where the hell is Naruto?" the man demanded in a barely controlled angry voice.

Shikamaru made a noise at the back of his throat. "As you're aware, he's at the ANBU's final examination site and we both don't know where. You know the SOP."

Of course, he knew. All qualified examinees would meet the proctors at Point A thinking they would proceed to Point B as announced earlier. They wouldn't know that they'd be going to Point C until the last second. The only ones who knew where Point C was were the proctors, the Root leader and the hokage. It was a precaution measure against disruption. And Shikamaru was not a proctor this time so basically he didn't have any information about Point C but he was the office-in-charge surely he had an idea.

"No, unfortunately I don't have," the shadow master said, guessing what Sasuke was thinking. "You have no choice but to wait for two more days."

The Uchiha leader cursed under his breath, nodded at the other man and left. The lazy genius sighed. It didn't take a quarter of his brain to figure out that Naruto did another stupid thing. He shook his head. His sympathy definitely went to Sasuke.

**TBC**

* * *

With the divorce hanging over his head, can Sasuke make the blonde stay? 


	81. 自白

**Standard Disclaimer applies.**

**I know I told few readers that I'll end in chapter but obviously, I couldn't. I really wanted this story to have 80 chapters but I can't cram all subplots in 80 chapters so you have to excuse me. **

* * *

**Chapter 81: Confession**

"It's rude to stare," Sai stated, his eyes piercing the guilty blonde. He and Naruto were waiting for the examinees to complete their missions within the designated time and according to the hour glass, they still have thirty minutes.

"If you're Blue, which would you choose- Pink or Orange?" Naruto finally asked.

He tapped his chin as if to contemplate such question before answering, "Pink." He noticed the brief flash of pain on blue eyes but didn't think about it. "Definitely Pink because Pink and Blue result into a wonderful new color while Blue and Orange make an unnamed color. Well, Blue and Orange is okay but Blue is better off with Pink."

"I see," Naruto murmured. Perhaps... Sai was right.

Sai's eyes glinted in mischief as he lazily regarded his friend for a full thirty seconds. "Now, if you're Orange, which would you choose: Blue, Red or Black?"

It took a full minute for the younger man to realize that Sai had finally understood the meaning behind his question. "S-s-sai! I didn't mean it that way," he lied, stuttering.

"Really now," was the melodious retort.

"You asshole! You better believe it or I'll beat you black and blue."

Sai's infuriating grin widened. "Black and blue," he repeated, letting the words roll off from his tongue slowly. "Nasty combination."

With a growl, a blushing Naruto swung his right foot but the Root leader dodged it smoothly. And Sai being the human representation of tease among others decided to say something more. "Orange makes everything bright so I'd definitely choose Orange... only when I'm Black." Chuckling, he ducked to avoid a flying canteen coming to his direction.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke was a bomb waiting to explode as he waited for Naruto's return. Much to his irritation, time was dragging torturously. Trying to forget time, he trained and played with his grandchildren albeit half-heartedly. But not once did he think of ways to convince the blonde to stay because doing that would mean acceptance that Naruto was calling it quits. That was what he could not accept. Ever. So he waited impatiently but at least he waited.

After what was like an eternity and more, he received a word from a junior ANBU member that Rokudaime had arrived and was heading to the Hokage sleeping quarters.

_Finally_, Sasuke said mentally.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Welcome home, **_my dear wife_**," Sasuke greeted blandly while leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. He noted how Sai and Naruto, especially the latter, were surprised by his appearance.

"Sa-Sasuke!" Naruto stuttered. What was he doing here?

The Uchiha leader spared the other dark-haired man comfortably sitting on a window sill a polite look before stating, "I need to talk with my wife."

Naruto gulped. The way Sasuke was referring to him and the way he was looking calm... it could mean one thing: he was furious. Deadly furious. But why?

Sai nodded. He walked to his blonde friend and slung an arm over his shoulders causing the Uchiha leader to frown darkly. "But you know, Orange and Blue complements each other perfectly," he murmured. Actually, he wanted to whisper it to his ear but he could feel dark eyes drilling into his head. He patted the blonde's back before leaving. Both men were oblivious that he locked the door on his way out and dismissed the two ANBU bodyguards by inviting them for a drink.

Naruto tried to gauge Sasuke's next move but the man was too unreadable. He instinctively took a step back when Sasuke crossed the gap between then in a blink of an eye.

"What is this?" Sasuke demanded in a very dangerously calm voice while holding the document very close to Naruto's face. Blue eyes crossed as they glanced at the white sheet.

Naruto peered at the side and answered matter-of-factly, "Divoce paper. Can't read the characters now?" He knew he angered the man more judging with the way how he clenched the document but he couldn't stop. He just wanted to push Sasuke's buttons for the last time.

"I know what it is. What I want to know is why your name and signature is printed?" the other man snarled. He could feel blood and chakra pounding in his eyes, ready to transform his black orbs into bloody ones.

"Oh," the blonde replied eloquently. "Well then, why don't you write your name and signature also so everything would be fair, hmm?" And he took out a pen and hand it over to his soon-to-be ex-husband.

Sasuke growled, plucked the pen and threw it away, not giving a damn that it was the blonde's favorite pen. He shook the paper and hissed, "Reasons. I want reasons not your fucking pen."

"Incompatibility?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke bristled. "Incompatibility?" he repeated like a madman torn between laughing and crying. "You and I are at our worst every time we're together but we function best that way so don't give me that bullshit."

"I don't love you anymore," he answered next and he could see Sasuke's face turning red. He even noticed the killing urge that fleeted past obsidian eyes. Well, he wouldn't mind dying by the man's hands anyway. It would be a fitting end to their suddenly awry relationship.

"Say it while looking at me then and I want you to mean it," he ordered. His body was tensed. He knew it was a lie yet his heart still clenched painfully. After few seconds, he smirked. "You can't because you still do. Now, I want to know the reason. It must be reasonable. If it is, I'd sign this paper… Hell, I'd sign any papers you want me to sign."

Naruto cast his gaze on the carpeted floor while answering so softly that Sasuke had a hard time hearing it. "I tried to. Really, I tried. I thought I could live with it but I couldn't." He then looked up to gaze at the person he loved with tearful eyes, "So it's either I have all of you or nothing."

Sasuke had a blank look on his face. He didn't understand Naruto's statement. Why would he say that when he still had him all to himself. Sasuke had sworn himself to the blonde over and over again.

"That's not a reason, dobe." He was confused and angry at the same time and those two never make a good combination.

Naruto cringed. Why was Sasuke a bastard through and through? Why did he want him to say the reason out loud? Wasn't it enough that he cheated on him? He glared at the man and growled, "Because you're cheating on me, asshole! And with Sakura no less!" It hurt but it felt good in saying that. It was like he had gotten rid of the obstacle lodged in his throat for what was like, years..

Sasuke looked dumbstruck. "What?"

The blonde smirked haughtily, "What? You thought I wouldn't find it out? Well guess what, bastard? I did and I won't stay with you acting like I'm a martyr and forever clueless." His words were rushed and frantic and he would continue rambling on and on if not the Sasuke's fist that had snapped his head to the side. But instead of fighting back, Naruto remained immobile. This was the last time Sasuke would punch him… the last time that he'd let the bastard punch him. Then the next thing he knew, he was pulled for a bruising kiss that meant to punish and leave him breathless.

"Is that it, Naruto?" Sasuke hissed. "You think I'm cheating?" Everything finally made sense. Naruto's mood swings… his flagging erection… his sarcasm and aloofness.

The blonde slapped the hand fisting his shirt. "Sign the fucking paper now or isn't that reasonable enough for you?"

"What made you think I'm cheating?"

How long was Sasuke going to keep his façade of being an honest husband? "You had the scent of her perfume; you used your training to see her; you came home late… do you want me to continue?" he demanded while wiping his wet cheeks.

"Do you think I'd be doing that if I wanted to cheat? Do you think I'd see her anywhere instead of some discrete places? I'm excellent in stealth, Naruto. I can do better than that if I am cheating on you!"

"You would?" Naruto asked.

"I would except that I'm not cheating on you. Never planned to."

"Then why?" Blue eyes looked at him in confusion.

Sasuke reached forward to cup Naruto's face. "Naruto…" he took a deep breath, "I'm going blind."

The blonde stared at him owlishly before laughing and hugging him. "You're going blind? You're going blind! You're going blind?!" And he continued laughing out of relief and hugging him tight.

"Dobe, I don't think my condition is something to be laugh at," Sasuke whispered as Naruto's laughter turned to chuckles.

The blonde shook his head. "No, it does. I mean I thought you are cheating because everything seemed to lead that way."

"You lack faith in me," Sasuke stated with hurt in his eyes making his wife cringe.

"No, it's I who lack faith in myself. I'm insecure. Always been." He smiled at his spouse. "I'm so sorry. Really, really sorry." He stood in his toes and kiss Sasuke sweetly, repentantly and softly. The document was now on the floor, forgotten and stepped on. "Sasuke," he breathed. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Long pale fingers threaded through golden strands as Sasuke murmured ever so softly, "As if I can't." And everything faded as he took Naruto's lips for a searing kiss that caught flame as each second pass by. Their short breaths mingled and their moans blended into a perfect soulful melody.

Pale hands descended along his sides before one hand perched on his hips while the other moved forward and cupped his straining erection eliciting a dark moan from him.

"I thought you have an erectile dysfunction," Sasuke said as he rubbed the clothed erection, loving how Naruto panted and tried to talk.

"Sh-shut up," Naruto finally managed to say albeit between gritted teeth. He pressed himself and manipulated his husband into sitting the edge of his bed. "You didn't believe me, anyway."

"Of course. If you have one, that would pose a problem for me, dobe," he answered between nibbles of that swollen lower lip. He hissed as Naruto undid his zipper and took his erection into his mouth without any reservation. His eyes fluttered close.

Naruto smirked, knowing how much he was making Sasuke suffer with teasing pleasure. He pushed Sasuke's legs to spread wider not that the dark-haired man needed anymore pushing. He pulled Naruto's head closer and while pushing deeper… deeper into that moist and hot cavern.

Sasuke moaned, knowing he was close. The spring coiling in his abdomen was ready to snap back… ready to pounce except that the pleasurable heat surrounding him slid away. He opened his eyes to find Naruto licking the sides of his mouth while taking his pants and boxers hurriedly before straddling him.

Their foreheads pressed against each other as the blonde sheathed the Uchiha leader securely.

"Eager, eh?" Sasuke commented between pants.

"Hell, yes," Naruto murmured. He started moving up and down, riding Sasuke desperately. He missed Sasuke who he thought he had lost forever.

The dark-haired man smiled before he too moved to maintain the rhythm his wife created. He gripped Naruto's hips tight, pulling him hard before helping him move up. The pace was maddening and everything was fierce, frantic and hot. It didn't take long for them to climax and the two landed on the bed, the blonde covering Sasuke's body.

When they regained their logic and reasons, Naruto pushed himself to his elbows and looked at Sasuke's face. He looked at the black eyes that always stirred a lot of emotions within him. To think that these exotic black jewels would become dull someday seemed to scare him. A lot. He lowered his mouth and kissed both eyes.

Sasuke entwined their hands together. "It's not like it was your fault. This is the curse of the bloodline limit. I know I'm going to be blind but I didn't know it will be this early."

"Isn't Sakura doing something? This is the reason why you're meeting her, right?"

"Is there any other reason?" he retorted. "According to her findings, even though I don't have the Mangekyou Sharingan, I'd been using my Sharingan too much and my captivity years ago which caused my chakra overload had hastened my blindness. Sure, it was corrected through an operation but the damage had been done."

"And?" Naruto asked as guilt course through him. It was him who caused Sasuke's blindness because he was the one who assigned the mission to him and his team. And also, he was late in saving his husband.

"She's slowing down the process. She's easing the pressure from my eyes especially before and after my missions. That's the only thing she can do. But if it weren't for her, I would have been blind by now."

And the blonde felt guiltier. He had doubted Sakura who was helping his husband. "I'm so sorry for everything," he whispered. "If I didn't send you to that mission… If I?-"

"Don't you understand, Naruto? Going blind is a part of being an Uchiha. No one could escape this curse."

"If you say so, then I'd take care of you. I'll resign from work."

"I don't want you to do that. I can still see. I can still function although my vision is deteriorating, I can still do it."

"But I'll do so when I see it fit. I want to take care of you. You'll never be a burden. I want to look after you… not because I have to but because I choose too." Achingly, he pressed his lips against warm ones.

_I'll be your eyes. I want to be your eyes._

"Does your team know?"

"Not yet. I don't want anyone to know before you do."

"Can I accompany you in your next check-up?"

Sasuke just 'hn'ed but the blonde took it as an affirmative response.

_Let me be your eyes. I'll let you see even in the darkness._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

As agreed, Naruto accompanied Sasuke in his next check-up which pleased Sakura. And much to the confusion of the medic-nin, the blonde gave her a bouquet of flowers then explained that it was out of gratitude for looking after **_his_** bastard.

Sasuke rolled his eyes because he knew better. The bouquet was more of out of apology rather than what his wife was claiming but he didn't say anything because he didn't want Naruto to have his daylights punch out of him no matter how tempting that was.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"What?" Miki choke out as she and her two older brothers gathered at the family den in the Uchiha manor house. "What do you mean you're going blind earlier than expected?"

"Things were still complicated even after the operation I have," Sasuke asked.

"How can you be so calm about this?" Miki demanded, unable to accept that their otousan was in this condition.

"Because I'm aware of it since I was a child. This is the curse of all the Uchiha members. I wish I could spare you but I can't do anything. But Sakura said that with Kyuubi's genes, your probability of going blind was lessened."

"I don't care. It's just that…" It was just that, she couldn't accept that their otousan was going to be blind one day. It was a pitiful end for a ninja such as him.

"The bloodline could be sealed so if you want or if you want your children to be spared, you could. Your otousan and I would understand," Naruto said.

"No," Akemi answered automatically. "I won't. I might be wrong but this bloodline is the mark of being an Uchiha so it doesn't matter if I'm going to be blind soon as long as I don't throw away my identity."

"I agree with Akemi," Yuuzuki said. "I won't seal my bloodline just because of the curse. But I can't say the same thing for my children. It is something for them to decide whether to accept or throw it away."

Miki nodded. "I sealed Amaterasu's sharingan for her survival but as for me… I told you already, otousan, I'll be an Uchiha forever even if the price is my eyesight."

"You…" Naruto trailed off as determined looks focus on him.

"I'm sure if Kisho is here, he would say the same thing. We aren't cowards. We won't run away."

"Can't I change your minds?" Naruto asked.

The three smirked. "We have your stubbornness, chichiue," Akemi reminded.

Naruto sighed while Sasuke was torn between being proud and being sorry for them.

"You really are our kids," Sasuke muttered helplessly.

"Why? Have you doubted that for a second, Otousan?" Yuuzuki asked mildly.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

After his meeting with his children, Sasuke seek his team out or to be more exact, Naruto invited his team to meet their leader.

"W-what?" Hiko asked in disbelief.

"You aren't joking, right?" Yanagi said.

"No," Sasuke said. "But I can still function as your captain without putting your life in danger."

"It's not about that, captain," Ken stated. "It's just that we never know until now. This is so sudden but we still trust you."

"Good because I don't want your pity."

"As if you'll have one from us," Yanagi retorted. It was obvious anyway that their captain didn't need it. If there was one thing the man needed it was understanding on why he kept them in the dark until now.

"I forgot that you're not capable," their captain bantered.

Hiko chuckled. "We're still going to rock, right? We'd still at the top for the next years."

Ken nodded, "Of course. We will, right captain?"

And Sasuke smirked please that they still trusted him to let him continue being their captain and to let them know if he couldn't do it anymore. They had a nice teamwork and he never regretted that these three shinobis were assigned under him.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto finally knew the reason why Sasuke always came home late at night. The latter would stroll around the village but not just any stroll. He had his sharingan activated committing the streets and all visual information to his memory at the same time training his sense of smelling and hearing. Sometimes, he'd blindfold himself just to check if he remembered things right.

When Naruto learned of this he didn't know whether to be impressed for the man's preparedness or to be guilty for speculating Sasuke's betrayal. But he had accompanied Sasuke since his confession. He'd silently walk beside or share a conversation with him. Sometimes, he'd take the other's hand while Sasuke was blindfolded and he would lead him anywhere while coaching and teaching him.

In a way, Sasuke's inevitable blindness made them closer and strengthened their bonds. Sasuke was glad that he was no longer alone in his new training; that Naruto was there to lessen his frustration, to encourage him and to make him laugh. It made this whole thing less difficult and less frightening.

The two collapsed on one particular bench after an hour of strolling.

"I hope that you remembered that part of town because I don't want to go back there again," Naruto said although he would if Sasuke would say so. He'd do anything for the man… for his love.

"I'm no idiot, dobe," Sasuke retorted as he slipped his blindfold from his eyes. He looked at Naruto, his sharingan activated.

"You're freaking me with your eyes, bastard," Naruto murmured. The look was too intense but he was achingly aware that Sasuke was committing his face into his memory. He leaned into a hand softly caressing his cheek while fighting back the tears that threatened to flow. He didn't want Sasuke to suffer.

"Sasuke?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you take my eyes?"

The man snatched his hand away from a tanned cheek as if burnt. "Don't say such ridiculous thing, Naruto. I'd rather be blind than have your eyes. I won't take it. Such sacrifice is too much."

"No, it isn't," Naruto argued. "Nothing is too much for you. Besides, I'm yours so anything I have is yours."

"And I want you to protect my properties. Please don't do that."

"Why won't you?"

"Because I couldn't accept such thing. Please, Naruto. Don't do it and don't bring this topic again. Promise me," Sasuke ordered harshly. "Give me your word."

Looking at Sasuke's pleading eyes, he nodded and gave his word.

They sat there looking at the star-sprinkled inky sky as they rested. Naruto looked at Sasuke. The latter had bared his secret and the blonde decided that he should too and he thought now was the perfect opportunity. He tugged the hand entwined with his and a second later he had Sasuke's attention… all of it.

He gulped, took a deep breath and decided to confess in a less shocking way. "Sasuke, I… I'm getting weaker."

The words were gentle and it meant that Naruto was losing his strength but Sasuke saw past through the niceties and read what was hidden beneath the dark pools of blue.

_Sasuke, I… I'm dying._

That was what was Sasuke read and for the second time within a week, his world and time stop moving. Naruto was dying. And somewhere at a very distance place in his mind, he heard a deafening thunder and downpour followed.

Naruto was dying… his sun was setting and would never rise again.

**TBC**

* * *

This will be my last update for this week. Work starts tomorrow. And the captivity Sasuke was talking about refers to **Chapter 57 to 59**, in case you've forgotten. 


	82. 秘密の暴露

**Standard disclaimer and warning apply.**

**I apologize for making you wait guys. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

Chapter 82: Revelation**

Sasuke had never been as pale before as when he heard Naruto's confession even when he was bathed in the moonlight. His blood just dissipated from his veins or had frozen just like his mind when he heard about it.

"W-what do you mean?" he stuttered. He was shaking and it wasn't because of the evening breeze. It was more than that. It was the inevitability and loss that was hanging heavily between them.

Naruto looked away unable to stand the fear etched on those obsidian eyes. No, he couldn't do it He couldn't tell Sasuke. A hand cupped his chin and steered his face back to look at his love.

"No more, Naruto," he whispered softly. "I have enough of your leaving me in the dark. Tell me." He coaxed some more before the blonde finally gave in.

"I'm human, Sasuke. No matter what I did, I'm human and could only hold out against the strain of the power of the demon I'm housing for a limit of time. The strain was evident during my training under Jiraiya. The more I used Kyuubi's power, the more my body is strained. That's why Jiraiya saw it fit to train me so I won't harness Kyuubi's power all the time."

"But it didn't work as Jiraiya expected."

"No… it helped. It did. But there were times when I have to channel his powers but what really did me in…" He paused. How should he tell Sasuke about this knowing the man would be crushed?

"Yes?" He squeezed Naruto's hand as a way to coax him to continue.

"What really strained me most were my pregnancies."

That was another bomb… another unseen attack and it left him empty, cold and disabled. Everything had turned ugly and meaningless at the same time meaningful.

"I know the risk-"

"Then you should have told me," Sasuke interrupted in a quiet harshness. "I would have settled for adoption." He watched as Naruto shook his head.

"Adoption is fine but… I wanted a child of our own. I wanted to see little Narutos and little Sasukes running around the house and the compound and I'm sure you feel that way, no?"

"I did," the man replied honestly. "But I would be contented-"

"My so-called womb is chakra-produced. Three layers of chakra were what it was made of. The innermost was my own chakra for the fetus to feed on and for its protection so as not to be killed by Kyuubi's chakra which took up the two layers but some of his chakra had seeped into causing our children to have some of his abilities and traits. Despite that, they were safe."

"But you aren't. Your organs were exposed to Kyuubi's chakra for a long time. And-"

"That was the reason why Miki was premature. My body couldn't take it anymore. Kyuubi warned me that I could only have three and there won't be twins," the blonde continued, rudely cutting his husband off again. "The maximum was three but I was greedy, Sasuke. I wanted more. I wanted to fill the manor with our children. Hell, if I could, I wanted to crowd the compound with our children." At this, Naruto chuckled but Sasuke didn't join him…. couldn't. He was still grappling with the truth and the information that continued to flow from the blonde's mouth. "Begrudgingly, Kyuubi gave in and I got pregnant with Kisho. Then, unforeseen complications arose."

Sasuke was very familiar with the complications. That was the time when Kyuubi became more powerful putting Naruto and Kisho in danger. He, however, didn't know how much the blonde was in danger until now.

"Honestly, there were a lot of times when I could get pregnant if Kyuubi would let me but he wouldn't no matter how much I beg," Naruto confessed.

"Was this the reason you were grouchy after your talks with him?" Sasuke asked and watched as his wife nodded, embarrassed.

"He said if I get pregnant I won't live long to give birth." He saw pain fleeting in those black orbs and thought his husband was disappointed in him. He choked out a sob and clutched Sasuke's shirt. "I'm sorry that I can't give you another child."

"Dobe," Sasuke said in a voice strained with guilt and love. "Don't apologize. You already did a lot of things for me. They're more than enough. Forget about the fifth child. I want you to live. I need you to live." He didn't know if his wife heard him because he immediately continued.

"As I grow older, my system started showing strains; started showing the consequences of my greediness. Kyuubi tried to heal them but it only gotten worse."

Unable to stop himself, Sasuke moved closer to Naruto, seeking warmth and assurance and to convince himself that the blonde was still there alive and breathing.

"What signs, dobe?"

"Pain, Sasuke. Pain that make me close to fainting; pain that makes my vision white and pain that makes me vomit with specks of blood."

Sasuke felt guilty. At that time, when Naruto was vomiting, he thought his wife was pregnant when in fact he was already suffering.

"I went to Tsunade. But she couldn't cure it. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't cure it. She was no god. Even if she could cure it, as long as Kyuubi is inside me, her efforts would be for naught." He could still remember the desperate look Tsunade sported when she had realized during one of his scheduled check-up how Naruto's condition turned for a worse after just three months. "So the only thing she could do is give me high dosage of pain reliever; use her chakra as a balm to the wounds and protect my still undamaged organs."

"Was that the reason behind your research?"

"Yeah and also because I wanted to give Kyuubi his freedom after all the good things he's done for me."

Sasuke's heart clenched painfully. He finally understood and he felt bad for being angry at Naruto at that time when the latter was trying to keep himself alive. But it turned out, that both ways meant death to his blonde and he couldn't stop himself from shedding tears.

"Why are you crying?" Naruto asked, wiping the tears cascading beautifully.

"Because you won't cry."

"Don't worry, bastard. I won't leave you as long as you need me. Even if I'll be confined to bed or even if I'll be in coma, I'd stay. It's a promise."

Sasuke hugged Naruto tight, not wanting to let go… never wanting to let go. "How long, Naruto? How long is your remaining time?"

"I don't know," he answered against pale skin. "Tsunade said she couldn't predict it because it's getting worse. But I won't die tomorrow or next month or the next three months. That much I can assure you."

But it wasn't an assurance at all. It only made Sasuke scared of what tomorrow would bring and of everything. Their time was running short, that much Sasuke was aware and he found himself lost on how to spend it.

"I'm so sorry, dobe. I love you. I really love you."

"I know. That's why I'll stay. If you can cheat death, then I can too." He had to cheat death even if its noose was already around his neck, slowly tightening.

_Please, I don't want to leave yet. Come for me when I no longer have anything in this world. Please, Death. It's too early. Let me stay longer… let me love longer._

The two sat on the park until early morning when Naruto had to go his check-up.

Tsunade looked up, surprised to find, Sasuke tagging along with his wife and they were holding each other's hand.

"Morning, Tsunade-baachan."

"So I take it, he knows?"

Sasuke nodded.

Naruto grabbed the lab gown and excused himself to change, leaving his husband and his doctor.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke asked.

"I wished I could but Naruto was against the idea because he didn't want you to worry unnecessarily. He made me promise and I prefer to keep it from you rather than him keeping me in the dark. I can't have that."

Sasuke nodded, accepting the explanation. "I know Naruto and Kyuubi have a link that serves as a channel between their chakra. If we cut that, what are the chances of my wife being saved?"

"None." That shocked the man. Didn't Naruto say that if he wasn't exposed to the demon's chakra, then his condition wouldn't get worse?

"The link between Naruto and Kyuubi was established the first moment the blonde use the latter's power. And it deepened and strengthened with every of their encounter until they exist symbiotically. Kyuubi is Naruto's death and survival. It's complicated actually and I still don't understand how it came to be like this. I'm sorry, Sasuke," Tsunade. She was still saddened that she couldn't save her one of her precious persons. It had always been like that. First, it was her brother then her lover and now Naruto.

The man could see how Tsunade blamed herself so he assured that it wasn't her fault.

"I'm ready now."

The two looked at Naruto and Tsunade nodded. Sasuke followed them to the examination room even though he would see anything. He could only listen to Tsunade's observation. But it was okay. As long as he was fully aware of his wife's condition, then it was okay.

When it was over, Sasuke walked Naruto to his office.

"Dobe, one time I asked Sakura for your medical files but how come your current condition isn't shown?" Sasuke asked.

"The complete documents are in another drawer. Sakura will know when she becomes my doctor."

"You hid your secret well."

Naruto grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"I'll pick you up tonight," Sasuke told him before dipping his head to give the blonde the kiss he expected.

"I'll see you tonight then," was the breathless reply.

_Death, don't take my wife away from me._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Sasuke arrived home, he realized how emotionally and mentally tired he was. He decided to take a nap so his eyes could rest. He buried his nose into Naruto's pillow, drowning with his scent and missing him already.

_Let me find the strength... give me the strength for Naruto's sake._

When he woke up it was already late afternoon and laughter fleeted from the backyard. He walked to the window to find Akemi, Yuuzuki and the latter's children playing.

Yuuzuki... Akemi...Miki... Kisho.

All of them had a part of Naruto's lifespan. They were the blonde's investments. And watching them made his heart tighten in a painful sweetness. But he couldn't blame them. If there was someone it was him. Hadn't he learned a long time ago that there was a price for everything and happiness demanded a very high price? He knew but he had forgotten it when he learned that his wife could sire a child. The sweetness of the news had rushed through him, sweeping away everything. In addition, at that time, he was young, intoxicated with and eager in pounding the sun-kissed body anywhere and anytime that he didn't give a damn about any other consequence other than having Naruto swell with his child. He looked at his hands- hands that brought indescribable pleasure to Naruto while tying death's noose around his neck. He looked at his reflection then frowned.

_Murderer._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke took the longest route to the Hokage tower, not wanting to see the victim of his stupidity very soon at the same time keeping the promise he made. He passed by his clan's graveyard and his feet halted. He watched as the sunlight cast long shadows on the ground of the gravestones where it spilled over. He looked at the horizon and then at the dying sun.

The dying sun…

He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms and leaving marks. He wasn't sure if he was actually referring to the burning disk or to Naruto. A sob left past his lips as he felt a black hole appearing within him just the thought about his blonde disappearing behind mountains and never to rise again to bring warmth.

When Naruto had told him of his condition, numbness surrounded him slowly keeping emotions at bay while his brain functioned perfectly to understand the whole situation. The numbness still remained within him, keeping him hovering above the waters of emotions until now. Somehow, it had disappeared and he was falling… falling into that pool. Weak, he fell to his knees and continued crying. He let everything out- frustration, desperation, helplessness and weakness, knowing that when he faced the blonde, he had to be strong.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto scowled when past six, Sasuke still hadn't arrived to come and pick him up. Weren't they too old to stood up one another? Or had the bastard forgotten? No, that would be impossible. Sasuke never forgot appointments especially if it had something to do with him.

When the clock strike seven, Naruto growled and left the office. He couldn't wait for Sasuke anymore.

Conveniently, Naruto's feet took him to the longest route too and noticed the lone figure sitting against one gravestone, face buried against arms folded on top of drawn up legs. The figure was so familiar that he walked forward.

"You stood me up," he stated calmly.

Sasuke tensed and looked up to stare at Naruto's smiling face.

_Ne, dobe, how can you still smile? How can you still laugh when you're days are already numbered?_

"You're crying," Naruto mumbled seeing how puffy and red his husband's eyes were. He kneeled down, cupped his face and licked the tears. "You shouldn't exhaust your eyes too much. It's no longer good for you."

Sasuke laid one hand against his wife's chest. The feelings Naruto stirred within him… they were now mixed with slight bitterness that they had become so foreign to him. He'd bargain anything… offer everything… just so he could keep Naruto. He wouldn't mind going blind at this instant if it meant longer lifespan for the blonde. He gazed at his face and thumbed his bottom lip. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me."

"In the end, I'm still your killer," Sasuke mumbled ever softly as he pulled Naruto into a fierce embrace. It was like they were at the Valley of the End fighting to end everything except that this time, he had unknowingly became the murderer of his dear friend… his rival… his love.

The other man looked surprised. "Is that how you see yourself, Sasuke? My killer?"

"I'm the one who impregnated you. I pushed you closer to your end."

"You fucking idiot!" Naruto hissed while hitting his head. "Was that the reason why you stood me up? The reason why you're here tonight, brooding?" When no answer came, he hissed continued. "Fine then! Think that way. But I'll also think I'm the one who caused your blindness."

Sasuke tensed. "I told you. It's a curse of my clan."

"And I told you that it is the fate of a jinchuuriki. Whether I get pregnant or not, I'd still die due to the strain," he snapped in reply. "You have nothing to do with this just as I have nothing to do with your blindness so…" he trailed off as he pressed his lips against pale neck. "So don't blame yourself. I don't want you to."

Even if Naruto didn't mention it, both of them were aware that their remaining time shouldn't be spent arguing and blaming themselves of things that were inevitable.

"Dobe?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you smile?" he asked between light kisses on Naruto's face.

"Why do you cry, Sasuke?"

"Because you won't."

"Then there goes your answer."

The dark-haired man tugged one earlobe before whispering, "don't get smart with me, dobe."

The blonde leaned back and looked at Sasuke's face, dark orbs swimming with unshed tears. He smiled before closing the gap between their lips.

_Please, Death, don't come yet._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Sasuke," came the breathless plead that hang around the tensed atmosphere joining with other sounds that were like aphrodisiac.

"Hm?" the man answered between languid flicks of his tongue against heated skin. He groaned when muscles clamped around his half-erect manhood. Strangely, their conditions made them want to touch, to hold and to taste each other sweetly and delightfully. It didn't matter how many times they reached their peak because it still wasn't enough. Their bodies were insatiable and so were their hearts and that feeling gave them strength to continue… to drown into each other… with each other

Naruto moaned appreciatively as the man above him started moving. He could feel Sasuke hardening with each thrust and he moved against him… accepting the thrust… encouraging it even. He smiled at the face hovering above him. He took a deep breath as pale fingers traced his face again. The gesture wasn't erotic but it was intimate and gentle.

"You're beautiful," Sasuke whispered suddenly, memorizing the features of the tanned visage. Naruto blushed at the sincerity and simplicity of the compliment. It was because of those that the words pierced through the thick clouds of pleasure surrounding his brain. He cupped both cheeks to whisper back the words resounding within him with the same sincerity and simplicity.

"I love you."

He pulled Sasuke down for a gentle kiss – complete opposite of the frantic movement of their hips. After what was like an eternity, they broke apart and he posed a question in the dimness.

"If the world ends tomorrow, what will you do today?"

His breath hitched as the dark-haired man silently repeated the question against his throat.

"Make love to you all day long," was the quick but serious reply. "You?"

"Get back at everyone for what they did to me through pranks then come home to make love to you also." Then in a husky whisper against smirking lips, he added, "in every position imaginable."

"Then I wish that two days from now, the world ends."

The blonde gave a chuckle which extended into a moan. He splayed a hand against Sasuke's back, pulling him close to brush their chests together.

"I love you," he murmured again, loving how the vein on Sasuke's neck throbbed in response. He continued clinging onto Sasuke as they rocked against each other. No words were exchange between them further as they focused on savoring each other's warmth and presence.

And together they spread their wings and soared… Higher and higher.

To dizzying heights…

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Utter and grave silence…

That was what hovered above the dining table as Naruto announced to his family his other secret and explained his situation the next morning. Everybody seemed to freeze and fell quiet for few seconds before activities resumed.

Yuuzuki's chopsticks fell to the floor and cluttered. But he couldn't pick it up afraid that if he bend down, his insides would spill on the ground. He never felt the cold dread he was feeling until now. It was very different and uncomfortable as if frosty hands were gripping everything in him turning them in glaciers.

Kakashi had a blank look on his face, unable to sort all the information into something logical and meaningful. He couldn't even put on the indifferent mask he perfected because everything just seemed to mix into everything and nothing.

Akemi resumed his chewing suddenly tasting sand. Unable to stand it, he just swallowed it into one quiet gulp and reached for his glass. His hands trembled and even if he wanted to stop them from doing so, he couldn't. Mentally, he was screaming for anyone to tell him it was a lie and shouting at himself to wake up from the nightmare that was so real. He gulped the water down, the sound echoing in the gripping silence that settled within him, feeling him with emptiness. And he continued gulping his water, unable to stop… not wanting to stop. It was the only way to fight the tears that were now stinging his eyes.

Miki bit her lip. It didn't matter to her that she had drawn blood a few seconds ago. First, it was their otousan going blind and now their chichiue weakening. When did problems start sliding like avalanche? She could feel her head throbbing with something she couldn't identify. She rubbed her arms with her hands as she found herself ridiculous shivering. Why did she feel like she was being abandoned? Why did she feel like seeing herself standing alone in a dreary scene? She closed her eyes, letting tears feel heedlessly, already tired of holding them back. She had no strength to hold them back.

Iruka stared at Naruto. At that moment, he just wanted to throw himself to his boy and held him tight but here he was, seconds or minutes maybe, still rooted to his seat, still blindly looking through watery eyes. Naruto had told them that he wasn't going to die anytime soon but it was already there- the mark of Death slowly appearing. When he and Kakashi had first received the invitation for breakfast, they didn't think about the reason behind it. They got invited too often that it became as natural as breathing so he even his spouse never expected such sudden announcement. Iruka admitted that he was lost among the swirl of emotions and logic.

Kisho had came home not only because he was scheduled to come that morning but also to receive his new mask as a proof that he had been promoted from professional to expert. And he expected to have fun and even have a good spar with his three close friends and his siblings and if he was cunning enough, he could drew a challenge from either his parents. For all his strength and power, he didn't see anything like this coming to him and it attacked him where it hurts the most – his heart. He felt like he was standing alone in an abandoned and infertile land with a dry wind howling behind him, blowing whatever dried leaves splayed on the crack ground. He tried to laugh it off as a joke but he couldn't bring himself to laugh or crack a smile. The news about their otousan going blind soon had sapped his strength but the news of their other parent's condition had sucked him dry.

Everybody was buried with their own thoughts and breakfast ended in a dead silence. Yuuzuki went back to his house. Miki, Kakashi and Iruka went home acting nothing was wrong. They had promised Naruto that no one would know… no one but them… for now.

"I wonder if I could have announced it gentler to them." Naruto asked as he and Sasuke moved about changing their clothes and getting ready for work.

"I don't think there's any gentler way. I think that was the gentlest way," Sasuke putting on his shirt.

Naruto broke the news to everyone in the same manner he did with Sasuke except that it was less detailed. He didn't mention the reason of the acceleration of his condition not wanting to have them blame themselves just as Sasuke did. But their reaction or lack thereof had worried Naruto. Their reactions weren't what he expected. He guessed that few of them would be ranting; Iruka would be scolding him while the rest would be questioning him angrily.

Sasuke slapped his tanned hands away noticing Naruto buttoning his shirt wrong. The blonde let him while he reached up to arrange dark hair.

"I wonder if they understand that I won't die soon or that they won't wake up to find me cold and pale," the blonde said.

"They will after the initial shock."

"I guess so." He stood on his toes to land a light kiss. "See you tonight, bastard."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Water," Yuuzuki as he slid into a seat the moment he came home. He was glad his kids were still in their rooms as he wasn't in the mood or in the right state of his mind to explain in a way kids understand. Was there such a way? Even he himself couldn't completely understand. Something like a fog kept him from grasping understanding.

"What happened?" Yukina asked as she served the glass of water.

"Not now. It's hard to explain," he replied._ Too hard_.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"You've been spacing out," Chie commented. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Akemi lied. He had given his word not to tell a single soul and he intended to keep that way. Pretension was the key. "I'm just tired. My latest mission had drained me more than I thought."

"We can cancel our date today so you can rest," she offered.

"It's okay. I want to spend time with you." And with that he took her hand into his.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Iruka just let himself be guided to their apartment by his spouse. When he was asked if he was okay when they entered their home, he nodded automatically. Of course, the moment Kakashi left him at the hallway he surprised the jounin by leaning against his back.

Instead of reassuring him with words, Kakashi turned around and held him as he cried. That was the only comfort he could give at that moment.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Shigure scowled and dispersed his jutsu as he slashed Kisho's shirt once more. "Are you going easy on me?" he asked in annoyance. He knew his friend could dodge it and yet he didn't.

Kisho rubbed his nape sheepishly. "Of course not. That won't be appropriate."

"Damn right!"

The younger boy skipped from one foot to another on the same ground for few times; smirked then disappeared in sight.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"How was the breakfast with them?" Shouhei asked as Miki stepped into their bedroom.

"As usual and everybody's fine," Miki replied casually. She couldn't tell Shouhei at that moment. Sharing the news would rip the surreal-like veil that surrounded it. Miki wanted to cling to that illusion until she could find the courage to face it and the strength to accept it.

"You don't look fine."

The blonde laughed. "I ate too much."

And before the conversation could go farther, their child demanded their attention when she wailed. Inwardly, she smiled in relief.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A poorly stifled groan and the tightening grip of the hand holding his alerted and made Sasuke ripped his blindfold.

"Dobe!" he uttered in worry as he saw Naruto doubling over before falling to the ground. "Hey Naruto!" He gripped his upper arms not knowing what to do. He told himself not to panic because it won't do them any good. "Naruto!"

That worried voice finally filtered through the pain and pulled Naruto from the edge of oblivion. He focused on that voice and opened his eyes. "Sasuke," he said between gritted teeth. "It's just an attack. I'm okay. Just give me time," he reassured seeing the worry on pale features. He gripped Sasuke's shirt and pulled him to him. If he focused on Sasuke's presence then perhaps the intensity of the pain would decrease, he thought.

If anyone would walked on that alley they would see Sasuke hunkering and between his legs was Naruto sitting on the ground while leaning against his spouse.

"I'll be okay," the blonde whispered.

"I know," Sasuke whispered back as he wrapped his arms around the other man. _But that won't stop me from worrying._

**TBC**

* * *

**Next epsidoe would be nothing but fun as Kisho tried to matchmake. **


	83. 隠された愛

**I finally have the time to post this one. This is the last chapter that is in MS Word already. The rest of the chapters will be copied and pasted to Word. Good luck to me.**

**Anyway, I promised this chapter to be fun but failed. It's still light but it's not as fun as I made it sound. Sorry.**

**Age update: Sasu and Naru are in their fifties (It's okay for them to go at it, right? Right.) Yuuzuki, Akemi, Miki and Kisho are 26, 21, 19 and 16 years old, respectively.**

**

* * *

****Chapter 83: Secret love for an Uchiha**

Annoyed that he was told to wait because the Hokage was still doing the quarterly inspection, Lord Sakuma stood from his seat and went to the window. He parted the curtains and watched the busy streets below. He scowled, seeing nothing interesting. He was about to close the curtain when he spotted something or to be exact someone- Chie. He barely recognized her because of her clothes which were not the kimono she used to wear when she was still his daughter..

Truthfully, he had expected her to come home crying and begging him to take her back because she couldn't stand living a commoner's life with walking weapons of destruction. He hadn't expected to see her walking down the street with a wooden bucket in her hand and smiling sincerely while exchanging greetings with few villagers. The lady looked so content and happy. Her smile widened and took his breath away. He hadn't seen that smile until now and to him it was her most beautiful smile. And the one who caused it was the Uchiha who he hired to escort him former daughter. He watched with a frown as the two exchanged few words before the young man nodded, took the bucket from her and they walked side by side. The lord continued watching until the couple disappeared into a corner.

Going back to his seat, he thought it was okay for Chie to stay where it makes her happy rather than with him because he'd definitely push his standards on her and also she had put him into shame too many times. The arrangement now was better for both of them.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Makoto spun around the moment the door to his art room opened and Shigure and Kazushi stepped inside. His movement was so sudden that it upset his coffee, causing it to splatter on his canvass.

"Fuck!" he muttered grabbing a tissue then remembered his friends. "Don't come in!" he shouted but it was too late. His friends were already there and their eyes were wide. Makoto sighed. There went his secret.

Kazushi and Shigure stood rooted to the ground, staring at the paintings of a familiar face staring back at them.

"Obsession?" Shigure asked. What other emotion was there aside from obsession that made his friend drew that person too many times? He grimaced when his lover hit him for being tactless.

"Unrequited love can morph into that," Makoto replied jokingly with a strained smile.

Kazushi guessed that it was because his object of attraction was familiar to them that he never allowed them to his art room. "Sorry to intrude. We didn't know-"

"It's okay. I should have locked the door." But he was all alone in his house and he didn't expect his friends to visit.

"We knocked a lot of times but nobody answered until we heard a noise coming from this room," Shigure explained, feeling guilty for finding his friend's secret accidentally.

Makoto shrugged his shoulders. He was so immersed with his hobby that he didn't hear the knocks. What kind of a shinobi was he? But it was too late. They found out already. "Can we go to my room?"

The couple nodded immediately.

"You don't have to answer but…" Kazushi started the moment he found a place to sit. "How long?"

"Almost three years. But it's a hopeless attraction."

"To who?" came a voice from the doorway.

They looked to find Kisho leaning against the closed door. Among the four of them, it was Kisho who had changed the most due to their profession. A year ago, they commented how he reminded them of a sheathed sword but now he looked similar to an unsheathed one. He was emanating a tempting dangerous aura similar to that of a blade glinting under the moonlight. He was no longer a walking contradiction of opposite things but the border where these things meet and separate.

"How did you get in?" Shigure asked. How come the three of them didn't hear him coming in or feel his presence until the moment he spoke?

"Door," the blonde answered casually as he padded to sit beside his assassin of a friend.

"Silent as the dead, eh?" Kazushi teased making the others chuckle.

"Did you kill an entire village this time, Kisho?" Makoto asked good-naturedly.

"Is that another speculation from the villagers?" the boy asked.

"No, expectations."

"I see," He answered. Morbid speculations... grotesque expectations... those were what the villagers had for him since **_that_** time. A year ago, two months since he became a master, he finally had a very brief encounter with one of the most slippery nuke-nin. That meeting had led him to his hiding place among a tight-knitted clan of seventeen bandits. Apparently, his comrades were ready to kill to defend him. Threatened and surrounded, Kisho had no choice but to fight back. Things spiraled out of control and when it was over, he had killed everyone.

The news traveled quickly to Konoha and got twisted. When he met a comrade, he had been shocked to find out that he had attacked and viciously massacred a clan out of unreasonable anger to a missing-nin who had escaped from his clutches.

For the first time, Kisho had been affected and he would have continued being so, if not for Shougo who made a brief stop at the village where he was spending a few days. In a neutral voice, his senior told him that the rumor-mongers were just villagers who had nothing better to do. Kisho pointed out that there were ninjas also so the older man had to correct his statement.

_What do they know about our code of honor and rules of engagement? Nothing. So don't mind such worthless things._

That was the end of their conversation but Kisho had taken it to heart. As long as he and formidable figures in the hunter-nin organization knew the truth then it didn't matter what rumors were circulating around the village. With that thought, the rumor was buried under piles upon piles of mission and information.

Much to Kazushi's bewilderment, Kisho extended a hand.

"Invitation," he explained. "Invitation to your wedding."

"Wh- We don't have plans yet," the doll-looking lad said. "There's nothing to hurry anyway, right Shigure?"

"Yeah," his boyfriend agreed. "Besides marriage is just a way of formalizing things between two persons."

"Pity. I was looking forward to it." Kisho then focused his gaze on his other friend. "You're hopelessly attracted to who?"

Makoto blushed, looked away before he mumbled, "no one."

But Shigure decided that his friend needed help. "Actually, it's mmmpph."

"Who?" Kisho asked, annoyed that the coffee-addict was covering Shigure's mouth.

"Akemi," Kazushi stated simply making his three friends freeze. He continued grinning even when amethyst eyes were glaring at him.

"Why you-"

"How troublesome," the blonde commented, interrupting Makoto from completing his strings of colorful words. "But I'll help you."

"You will?" the three chorused. They were surprise at the announcement.

Noticing the wicked grin on Kisho's face, dread clawed its way to Makoto's heart. He was doomed. He glared at the couple who were silently enjoying how things turned out. Fucking bastards!

"You don't have to," he said, successfully hiding the desperation he had within him. "Akemi-san is now happy with his girlfriend."

"That's because, he had no idea of the sweetness of having a man for a lover." He announced it in a dreamy voice that Shigure rolled his eyes.

"Does that mean you had or have a male lover?"

"I'm not interested in holes that needed to be manually lubricated for me to slide into."

"I can't believe a sixteen-year-old could be this pervert," Makoto commented. "How could you say that about your brother?" If he heard his twin brother talking about him in this almost crude manner, he was certain he'd skewered that lad, brother or not.

The blonde shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just replacing what he has with something better. Besides he might be Bi because when he was a child, he wanted to marry chichiue."

"He was a child at that time!" Makoto snapped. He couldn't allow himself to be the cause of heartbreak of such a fine young man.

"So? It doesn't matter." Blue eyes looked at him intently, "Get ready to serve your ass because Akemi-nii won't give you his."

Looking at his friend's desperate look, Kazushi wondered if it was a right decision to interfere...

_Sorry, Mako-chan but we want you to be happy._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho grinned widely as he Makoto joining at the Ubhiha training ground the next morning. It seemed his friend was now willing to cooperate with after how he profusely declined his help.

"I asked Akemi-nii to have a spar with you," he explained. "He's here," he said when the older Uchiha came to his line of sight. "Don't be nervous."

At that moment, Makoto wanted nothing more than to slit his friend's throat. But he smiled to his friend's brother and sent a greeting to his direction. "Why can't I spar with you?" he hissed.

"Because you have the same profession with him unless you plan on having a career shift."

"Can we now start?" Akemi asked in an irritated and bored tone. "I don't want to spend my day waiting for your whispering to end."

"Sorry," the junior ANBU said and was about to turn from his blond friend when the latter stopped him from doing so.

"Just give us a minute to wrap up our battle plan," Kisho replied while wearing an innocent smile that never sat well with his brother. "Spar is a gropefest in disguise so grope all you want."

"What?" a shocked Makoto uttered. He was about to withdraw when he was pushed towards his senior.

"He's all yours," the youngest announced in a voice sprinkled with suggestiveness.

When Kisho had asked him to spar with a friend, Akemi had accepted. Knowing that his brother's friends were all skillful and close to being gifted, he had been certain that a spar with any of them would be exhilarating and challenging. So when he felt nothing, he was disappointed. For every seconds passed and for every lame move on Makoto's part, his disappointment morphed into irritation. It was foolish to go all out on someone who wasn't. He wanted a fair and all-out spar not a one-sided one.

He danced around Makoto's rain of kicks and stopped behind him. "Lame," he whispered making his opponent shiver before he delivered a kick that sent the latter flying. He couldn't go all-out but that didn't mean he couldn't be merciless.

Makoto broke his flight so his impact against a tree wasn't as hard as it should be but it still made his bones tingle. Damn! But it was expected from an elite member of an ANBU.

"Don't mock me," Akemi said.

Kisho sighed. It was worse than he expected. _Damage control_, he thought.

"Sorry about that Akemi-nii. It seemed he's not ready yet."

"Then ask me when he's in his top condition." With that said, he left.

Makoto looked at his friend and chuckled sheepishly. "I fucked it up."

The blonde nodded. "You certainly did. You missed a lot of opportunity in groping him! "He never really saw the wide-eyed reaction on his friend as he was sent flying.

Makoto straddled him while holding a fist of his shirt. "You brat! I made a fool out of myself." He knew his performance was lame too, something an ANBU member shouldn't be committing. Ever. He was angry at himself for that. But what really pissed him was that he did it in front of _that_ Akemi. Damn it. He glared at the still calm Kisho whom he wanted to vent his anger out on. He could feel the blood flowing hotly to his eyes darkening them ominously.

"You should have used that strength on him," the boy stated. He just blinked as his friend brought his fist down, hitting the ground and missing his face by hairsbreadth. "Don't worry. He didn't say he won't fight you again. You still have a lot of opportunities to grope him."

The amethyst-eyed lad couldn't help but laughed his frustration and annoyance out.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho stared at the ceiling above his bed. He had planned to leave four days from now but with things between Akemi and Makoto, he might as well stay for two more days. He had to create a spark between the two but how? After a moment or two, a plan came to his mind.

Exposure.

He had to get those two to meet a lot.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed while he looked at him after he had steadied his husband.

"I'm fine," Sasuke retorted, slapping the tanned hand away. He could see the blonde's thoughts through worried blue eyes and didn't like it.

Ever since he had informed his wife about his inevitable blindness, Naruto paid more attention to him than before. Any mistakes he made were assumed to be caused by his condition. Sometimes, he felt suffocated by the unnecessary worry and care he received from his wife that it pissed him off. Thrice, he had exploded because of this matter.

"Don't worry about me," he said and left his companion standing in the middle of the street.

Naruto glared at Sasuke's retreating back. Just the latter's casual way of dismissing his worry made his blood boil. "'Don't worry about me. Don't worry about me. Don't worry about me.' It's easier said than done, you bastard!" he shouted at him. He didn't give a damn if there were still a few people walking along their street or that he now had their attention. Sasuke was definitely asking for it.

Sasuke slightly tilted his head to the left just in time for a stone to whiz past his ear.

"Sasuke-bastard," Naruto spat.

_Why? Why can't you understand? No matter how long we've been together why can't you understand that my worrying about you is as natural as breathing?_

The Uchiha leader lifted an arm to block a hard punch and swung a leg to sweep his attacker from his feet. The blonde jumped over it and swing his free arm which was caught and the next thing he knew he was sailing across the street. He twisted in the air to land gracefully.

"Naruto," Sasuke warned but it had fallen into deaf ears as the blonde lunged again. He wanted the older man to understand his reasons of worrying… he wanted him not to take his feelings lightly… callously.

Sasuke bend back to miss the all-out kick then ducked to avoid the round-house kick. When another kick came to his view, he gripped the leg. He arched an eyebrow to a still furious and hurt blonde who swung his other leg. Upside down, Naruto looked at Sasuke who was holding his two legs and then smirked. The dark-haired man was caught in surprise when suddenly the legs escape from his clutches and wound around his neck. A split second and he was flying through the air and crashing against the trashcans.

He glared at his opponent and then met him halfway. After a lot of parries from both sides, he managed to hit the blonde simultaneously. He kneed the blonde and watched him as he fell to his knees. He let out a gasp as he was swept off from his feet. As he was falling, he managed to swing his leg and hit the smirking blonde's face.

As expected from two of the most powerful shinobis, they got back to their feet ready to continue their duel.

Seeing the couple fighting, passer-bys arched an eyebrow. It had been a long time since the two had resorted to physical fight but it wasn't an uncommon sight. No matter how they loved each other, they were still rivals and it was obvious with their attacks that at that moment they treated each other just like that. They didn't know if they could call it domestic violence. With those two, everything seemed to lose its traditional meaning.

"Fuck," Naruto cursed as he crashed against the trashcans, this time upsetting and tumbling them down. "That hurts, bastard."

"You started it, moron," Sasuke retorted acidly while glaring at him.

_You…you always make me weak… you always make me feel weak. I don't want you to make me feel weaker._

Frustrated and angry that Sasuke was being more than a bastard that he usually was, Naruto gripped the closest thing to him which was one of the lids of the toppled trash cans and threw it towards his opponent before charging.

Sasuke with his sharingan activated, managed to grab hold of it and swung it to the approaching blonde.

Wide blue stared at him in surprise, disbelief and horror causing Sasuke to freeze also. His red-blood eyes gazed at a tanned hand that suddenly covered a particular area of his stomach and saw blood suddenly staining the hokage robe and the tanned hand before drop by drop, red-liquid tainted the ground.

"Sasuke, you…"

"Naruto, I…" he looked at the tin lid in his hand and realized that it wasn't the original cover. It was just a poorly make-shift cover with one side corrugated sharply.

"You won," the blonde acquiesced because Sasuke had drawn blood first. That was how they always concluded their fights. But because he was always a sore loser, he then sneered, "It didn't even matter to you where you'd cut me as long as you win, you asshole."

Sasuke stared at him wide-eyed and guilty. He quickly let go of the lid as if burnt and crossed the distance between him and his wife who pushed him away. "Naruto, I didn't…"

"Let me go, bastard," the blonde said and shoved himself away from Sasuke who desperately watched him as he walked to the other side of the street, leaned against a wooden wall surrounding a property before sliding to the ground clutching his bleeding stomach.

"Dobe, we need to get that-"

"Don't come over here!"

"This isn't the time for that!" Sasuke snapped. "You're bleeding. We need you to get to the hospital." He didn't want Kyuubi to heal Naruto because he knew skin regeneration shorted the blonde's already short lifespan.

Naruto chuckled dryly and slightly cringed as he felt his wound burn. Kyuubi was automatically healing it. It wasn't something that fox demon could stop because it was natural and instinctive. "Too late. It's already healing." And before Sasuke could say or do something, he looked at the inky sky and asked, "Why are you always mad when I worry about you?"

That statement made Sasuke remember why they were fighting. "Because it's unnecessary. That's why I don't want to tell you about my condition knowing you'd worry yourself to death."

"But you have no right to shrug off my feelings as if they were nothing," Naruto continued in a soft but intense voice.

"But you make me feel weak, helpless and incapable when I'm not. You make me feel like I'm blind when I'm not. You pissed me off when you make me feel like that," Sasuke retorted coldly.

Desperate and pleadingly blue eyes locked gazes with him…

"I have the right to worry about you. I'm your wife! Dammit!" He gasped when Sasuke appeared in front of him, his face too close for comfort.

"I know but you suffocate me with your worry. I need space, dobe."

The blonde sighed and rested his forehead against a shoulder. "I'm sorry but I couldn't help it. You mean so much to me that I… I couldn't help it but I'll try to back off."

And somehow both of them knew it was settled. Sasuke stood up and offered his hand which Naruto took it. They stood in the middle of the street, toes to toes. A pale hand rested on the wound he had given his blonde.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that-"

"It's okay, bastard. I could have slit your throat if we weren't lucky." Naruto then smiled, "C'mon, let's take care of these bruises."

Sasuke nodded and slung an over Naruto's shoulders as they resumed their walk towards their home.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Akemi looked up from plate when he heard two voices talking. He nodded when Kisho and Makoto walked in. The purple-eyed lad bowed while apologizing and thanking him for the time he spent sparring with him.

The older man just nodded.

"I forgot to bring the scroll," Kisho said a bit too happily. "I'll get it. You stay here and help yourself, okay?" And before his friend could say anything, he already waltzed out from the kitchen.

"Help yourself," Akemi said so suddenly that it made Makoto jumped. Amusement glinting in blue eyes, he commented off-handedly, "For an ANBU member, you sure are jumpy."

The younger blushed then chuckled sheepishly.

"I'm really sorry about what happened. To be honest, I was just nervous of having to spar with someone like you."

"If you're really sorry, then you better make up for it in our next spar, whenever that will be."

Makoto nodded and smiled. "I look forward to it, Akemi-san."

And the older man smiled.

When Kisho returned, the two were busy discussing the technicalities of one technique and he knew he wasn't so far from his objective.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

And for the next five days, Akemi met and bumped into Makoto into a lot of times to be considered coincidence. But he couldn't label the man as a stalker because he seemed to be just as surprise as him. In fact, the only one who seemed to be enthusiastic about these meetings was his brother if he was with Makoto. It was as if, he was up to something but no matter how many times Akemi kept an eye on his brother, Kisho didn't betray anything.

Even Chie noticed their frequent bumping into Kisho and his gang but whenever she looked at Kisho with eyes filled with doubt and confusion, the boy would disarm her with his charms and smiles until she forgot things that didn't concern her.

Despite his speculations, Akemi enjoyed his spars with Makoto. Just as the younger boy promised, he had given him more than the elite ANBU member expected. Sometimes their battles were purely about tactics while other times, just physical.

Makoto, on the other hand, enjoyed their battles too. He saw the different facets and skills of Akemi that had him skyrocketed to his current position. And when they weren't sparring, they were sharing intellectual conversations. He like the things he shared with the older Uchiha that Kisho's unasked advices of groping and seduction no longer pissed him off like they normally did.

But Makoto could no longer continue with his pretension especially when blue eyes would sometimes stare at him calculatingly and speculatively. And watching the man, he knew that at the tip of his tongue, a question was dying to make itself known. So after one of their frequent spar, instead of lying down to take a rest, he sat and called out his senior's name softly and shyly.

Akemi arched an eyebrow as he gazed at the suddenly shy lad.

"To be honest with you, I…" he trailed off, wondering if it was okay to say such things and to bare his heart, "To be honest with you, I…" He looked at Akemi with his deep amethyst eyes and continued.

_Even if in the end, there was nothing for me… I'm still glad I learned how to love._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho seemed happy to find Shigure and Kazushi at the Konoha gates to send him off.

"When are you coming back?" Kazushi asked as he tightened Kisho's chest protector.

"15 months from now unless I will receive an invitation to your wedding."

"We told you we have no plans in getting married."

"Things change, Kazushi. They do," Kisho mumbled softly. "See you soon." He was about to disappear when he heard his name being called. He looked over his shoulder and saw Makoto together with Akemi.

"Take care, you brat," Makoto said.

"You too," he replied with a smile.

"He will," Akemi said as he draped an arm over Makoto's shoulders.

The blond boy just nodded before he disappeared quietly just as the wind blew by.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

She moaned as lips expertly attacked her pale neck. She was about to whisper a seductive invitation to the man when a familiar scent wafted to her nose. Without even hesitation, she pushed the man away and righted her hair and kimono. She knew _he_ was here and that fact alone made her heart beat faster than her make out session with the surprised man.

Without looking over her shoulder, she left.

She ran to the place where she knew he usually stayed. She was 27-years old and yet she couldn't help but like someone who was way too younger than her. She didn't know anything about him outside his bed but it was okay. He always made that up to her when they made love. He was young but he knew the arts of seduction, pleasure and lovemaking more than anyone she knew. He was gentle but not boring. He was passionate but not suffocating. He was wild but not forceful. He knew female anatomy at its best. He knew where to touch to make sounds that could only be produce from musical instruments came out from her abused lips. He was a master of this and she liked him.

She ran past the stairs ignoring the owner of such inn, turned to the left then stopped in front of a very familiar door. She smoothened her hair and evened her breath before she opened the door.

"I've been waiting for you," her so-called lover said.

"I missed you, Kisho," she said as she grabbed the lad for a passionate kiss.

She was twenty-seven years old and he was sixteen. She was infatuated but he wasn't. Even if he didn't say anything she knew there were no strings attached. What they have was ephemeral and that was why she should enjoy it.

Kisho looked at her. She was beautiful… breathtakingly so especially when her emerald eyes were glazed with lust and desire; when her long silver hair spilled over his pillow and when her body was laid on his bed ready for his taking. She was beautiful and she was his for the time being.

"You're beautiful," he whispered to her ear while he let his fingers ran down along her chest. He took what was offered, indulging himself with the sweetness. As he feasted, he tried to forget about the coldness and bitterness an unrequited love brought; tried to forget haunting amethyst eyes; and most especially tried to forget Makoto who was in love with Akemi.

**TBC**

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**I can now hear few of you rejoicing that Kisho is... **

**Next chapter would be a look into their lives before continuing Kisho's problematic lovelife.**


	84. それぞれの力

**I finally had the time to post this. My life has become so fast-paced that I don't have time to take a deep breath and relax. Anyway, as promised, a short glance on everybody's life before attaching Kisho's lovelife.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 84: Shades of view**

"Kisho-kun," a red-haired woman purred from bed to the lad who was standing by the window looking at the world outside. At the mention of his name, the half-dressed lad turned around. His cool mask was replaced by an affectionate one as he stared at his lover at another village. Obeying the long tapered pointer finger beckoning him, he padded to their bed.

"Do you want anything else? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty?" she whispered against his neck as her hands familiarly slid on his chest.

He took one hand to press a kiss, "Negative."

"Then come back to bed, love. Let me feel you once more before you'll leave."

"Missing me already?"

"Greatly," was the breathless reply as she let herself be pushed.

Confidently, he started working his magic- a magic he learned two years ago at a particular village of the Water country.

He was about to make a down payment for the room he was about to rent when a soft hand covered his, stopping him from paying. He looked up to find a very beautiful woman looking at him appreciatively. He blushed making the woman laughed. The woman had irresistible charms, he knew and he had quickly fallen under her spell. When she offered him a room at her house, he accepted without any question... without any doubt.

Her house was far from the village and hidden behind palm trees and flowers Kisho didn't know existed. Much to his surprise, her house was palatial and was made of marble. He didn't know much about architecture but he was certain that each curve and embossed drawing were consistent, balance and perfect. He would have continued staring and admiring if not for the woman who led him inside the house where they were greeted with maids who wore nothing but white cloth wrapped around their bodies.

A soft sound from a certain stringed instrument and a faint teasing sweet scent made the place more welcoming. He followed his host to a place which was actually a dining room where a feast was waiting for them.

Kisho found himself so small not only because of the hugeness of the place but also because of the aura the woman was emanating so naturally. He found out soon that her name was Venus. She explained the origin of her name and why she replaced her Japanese name with something foreign.

Love and beauty...

The shinobi wasn't sure if she had love but beauty... she had that. Layer upon layer. She used that to her advantage together with her womanly charms and Kisho found it hard to resist her seduction. He didn't want to resist because he wanted to deny to himself that he liked that Makoto.

When they ended up on her bed with them naked, the teen happened to look at her eyes- eyes that told him how experienced and knowledgeable she was. And suddenly, he felt inferior and his confidence was slipping away. But Venus took his hands into hers and squeezed them, coaxing him to continue and telling him to show her what he got. And he showed her everything he learned from his one-night stands, reading porns and from what he learned from Jiraiya, Kakashi and Sai. However, much to his embarrassment, it was only him who had an orgasm. The woman was certainly way above his level.

Contrary to his expectations, Venus didn't mock him. She laughed all right but it was out of amusement at his disappointed look. He looked so cute with his pouting lips that she hugged him.

The first moment that her gaze landed on him on that street, Venus liked him because he was beautiful in a dangerous way. She liked him so much that she followed him to a cheap inn to invite him to her house. She was lucky that he had accepted not that she doubted because she knew what her charms could do on men.

She loved his wit and even when he failed to give her an orgasm she didn't mind. She could change that if he wished to and the latter did. She taught him all he wanted to learn and all she knew about worldly things. She liked his creativity; admired his enthusiasm; and loved his passion and eagerness. She was shaping him to be the downfall of women and the envy of men. She was making him into her masterpiece because he was beauty she was obsessed with and he tasted the perfect blend of innocence and danger and of absolute sin.

Venus wanted him but she knew he belonged to the wilderness. She was certain that he would look more beautiful if he returned rather than staying in her so-called temple. As much as she wished to, she couldn't make him into one of her sex slaves.

Sex slaves... Kisho had encountered them during one of his strolls around the place. They wore white revealing clothes and a black choker with their name written on a silver plate. They stared at him in confusion but they weren't the only ones. Even the servants were all curious. All of them wondered why the blonde wasn't marked by their mistress even after many days had passed or who he was that Venus-sama was so fond of him. But their questions remained unanswered and soon they had gotten used to his presence. To them, the blonde was just Venus-sama's most honored guest.

After almost seven weeks, Kisho finally gave the woman an orgasm. It wasn't just an ordinary one. It was nerve-wracking and brought tears to her eyes.

In bliss, she congratulated him and told him how proud she was of him. The next day, he bid her goodbye. He had entered her temple as a greenhorn and emerged from it in his worldly glory.

And true to Venus' wishes, Kisho became the downfall of women and the envy of men.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Iruka cooking meals at the Uchiha manor wasn't an uncommon sight especially since he learned of Naruto's condition. The resigned teacher was aware that such act might not prolong the blonde's life but at least Naruto wouldn't have to cook after a busy day and besides he had too much free time.

"That looks delicious," Naruto said looking at the freshly grilled salmon.

Iruka laughed. "I think so too."

"I'm home," Akemi greeted as he strode inside.

"Welcome home," both of them greeted.

"You look a bit pale," the youngest of the trio commented.

The blonde gave him a sheepish smile before answering it in an assuring voice. "Had an attack fifteen or twenty minutes ago. Luckily Iruka-sensei was with me."

"But I didn't do anything." Then Iruka added softly, "Couldn't do anything." The feeling of helpless and desperation as he could only stare at the trembling form of his so-called son... he couldn't stand it. Hadn't Naruto suffered enough because of Kyuubi? Was there no end to his pain?

Akemi just nodded. The attacks had became frequent as years went by that it was a miracle that his chichiue still managed to keep it a secret from everyone even from his close friends. But Akemi knew they already had suspicions and speculations and were now looking for proofs. In fact, Shikamaru, Neji, Sakura and Shino were keeping a close watch on him.

Seeing his blonde father smile or laugh, always made him want to reach and hug the older man. But he wasn't the only one who had this urge. Looking at his siblings, his fear, and angsty thoughts were reflected in their eyes. Even if they didn't want to admit it, Akemi knew they were also wondering at the same time dreading that moment when their chichiue would breathe his last breath.

Snapping himself from such thoughts, he took out something from his bag. "I bought it on my way to Konoha," he said as he handed his present to his father.

Naruto stared at the frog on his hands before he realized that it was just a wood carving... a very realistic artwork.

"Splendid," Iruka commented.

"I love it," Naruto said. "Where did you buy this?"

"I won't tell you because you would buy the whole set or ask otousan to buy the whole set for you."

"There's a whole set?" The blonde's blue eyes turned big and watery. "Akemi"

Iruka watched as Naruto plead his son who was trying to resist his chichiue's puppy look and he could see joy reflected in two sets of blue eyes as if…

_I'm going to live each day as if it's my last._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

A seven-year-old Haruo looked satisfied as he inspected his work. He had spent quite a long time tying kunais using thin wires around his area of practice that he suddenly found himself not wanting to proceed with his plan. He inhaled deeply to strengthen his resolve before he, in one swing of an arm, cut the wires holding the ten kunais. There was a solid 'twang' sound as the wires snapped and released the weapons.

Haruo readied himself. Before, he managed to dodge all six kunais and was confident he could dodge ten of them. He mentally counted the kunais he dodged by the 'clang' sound emitted as metal against metal came in contact.

Three more, he told himself. He turned to his right, hitting the incoming weapon. Then he hit another. He whirled around and his eyes widened in horror as he realized that the kunai was coming too fast and was closing in on him. Panic gripped him making him immobile. He 'eep'ed, closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain to come. A moment or two, he opened his eyes to find a gloved hand holding the kunai that was so close to his chest. He followed the hand that led to his savior's identity then gulped when he met blue eyes.

"Otousan," he breathed more in fear than relief.

"Are you okay?" Yuuzuki asked in a deceptively calm voice that made his boy shiver. Haruo knew that tone too well. It was a warning that trouble was one step away from the instigator who, at that moment, happened to be him. He gulped and gave the man a trembling sheepish smile.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

"How was your check-up?" Naruto asked in their poorly lit room as Sasuke slipped into their shared blanket.

Sasuke turned to his other side to look at Naruto who scooted closer. "Sakura said it's deteriorating by five percent this time but reassured me that I'm still fine as long as I don't strain my eyes too much."

"I see." Naruto reached up to gingerly touch the eyes that always see through his masks and see him for what he truly was. "It must be really hard for you. I'm scared for you. Aren't you?"

The dark-haired man leaned forward to kiss his forehead, his temples, his cheeks, his nose and his chin before tracing his face with his fingers in a light caress. "It would be a lie if I tell you I'm not," he whispered. "I'm scared." He was scared not to see his children and his grandchildren. He was scared to miss all the emotions that would grace his wife's face. But more than anything else, he was scared to be alone in the darkness without Naruto. "But you'll be with me, right?" Sasuke knew he was stupid to ask the blonde to make a promise that would be quite a feat to keep. He knew he was only making it hard for both of them but he needed hope... he needed a reason to remain calm... he needed buoyancy to remain afloat. He needed Naruto for all that he was in his life.

Naruto gave him a small smile. "You know very well where I'll be, Sasuke. I have no other place to go but here- right beside you." He gripped the pale hand that was still tracing the outline of his face and brought it to his lips to lay an affectionate kiss. "That's more than a promise."

And in gratitude, he drew his wife closer and held him protectively... possessively… lovingly.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Miki just reached a hand over her patient's eyes to close them. She and her team had done everything they could but still failed to save the woman.

"Confirmed 15:01," she said to the nurse announcing the kunoichi's death. She took the clipboard and signed her name.

At the age of nineteen, Miki had become more mature than most girls at her age. But then again, most girls didn't get pregnant and get married at the age of fifteen or tried to kill their baby because of their ambition or fight Death over lives or had responsibilities of assistant chief medic-nin of Surgery and Operation Department on their shoulders. Yes, she, Hyuuga Miki, was now somewhere in the upper part of the hospital's administrative structure and rising. The Kage bunshin technique really paid off.

Without shedding a tear much less looking back, she walked out from the room and almost crashed against a panicking nurse.

"You're needed at Operating room five," the nurse said.

She nodded and quickly proceeded to the area. When she got there, the man was already half-dead and bathing in his blood. She paid attention to the medic-nin who gave her quick but informative details of the shinobi's condition while she let her chakra spread to the now slightly cold body.

The injuries were big and the damages bigger and the only way to save the man was to perform Molecular Regeneration Technique which only the first-level licensed medic-nin were allowed to do.

She took a surgical knife and slashed her left palm. With her blood, she drew the character of recipient on the man's chest. And with his blood, she wrote the character for practitioner on both sides of her hands before making hand seals...

When she got home the next day, Shouhei was already in the kitchen cooking breakfast. The man smiled and said, "I got the bath ready."

"Thanks," she said, glad that today was her husband's day off. She was too tired after the operation which lasted early dawn that she could drop dead anywhere. "Where's Ama-chan?"

Chuckling, he answered, "Doing her usual rounds of morning greetings in the compound." Every morning, their little girl made it a point to greet every Hyuuga family. Amaterasu was just as energetic as her mother was when she was at her age, according to his in-laws. And from what he heard just as optimistic as her blond grandfather was. With her acting like sunshine, Shouhei and Miki never regretted to name her Amaterasu.

She looked at the wall clock. "She's supposed to be done by now."

"She woke up late."

Miki just smiled.

Miki didn't know she had dozed off while soaking in the bath tub until she heard the door slid open and purplish lilac eyes peered from the gap.

"Good morning, Okaasan," Amaterasu said cheerfully.

"Morning too," she replied and beckoned for her daughter to step in.

"Ne, Kiba-jisan said he'll take Ama-chan to the park today. Can I go?"

"What did otousan say?"

"He said 'yes'."

She gently flicked her nose. "Then, you can go."

Amaterasu beamed. Looking at the bath tub filled with water, she asked, "Can I join you there?"

Shouhei paused from slicing a carrot when he heard a childish shriek then followed by Miki's laughter which was soon joined by Amaterasu's. The sounds made him warm at the same time smile.

_Sunshine... and music..._

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kakashi poured himself and Sasuke another glass of rice wine during the latter's visit in his house.

After resigning, Kakashi had returned his hitaeate and was now using an ordinary bandana to cover his Sharingan eye. Like Sasuke, he too was almost blind. His sharingan eye saw everything as blotches of white and black. But his left eyesight wasn't deteriorating as quickly as his former student because unlike the latter he only used the Sharingan in tight situations that demanded him to use it. His minimal usage of the dojutsu was due to the fact that he wasn't an Uchiha thus his body wasn't built for such technique.

"How bad is it now?" the older man asked.

"I now have three more blind spots. Sakura wants me to resign three years from now or early unless I want to get killed in action and make Naruto a widower."

"And?"

"It's still a long way," Sasuke answered indifferently. He draped his arms over the sofa and tilted his head back. "And I have other things to worry about."

A silver eyebrow arched in question. "Such as?"

"The dobe."

Kakashi swirled his glass, watching the translucent liquid going along the slow movement. "What about him?"

Black eyes focused on the hanging and framed picture of Kakashi, Iruka, Naruto and him during their wedding day. "Last night, I caught the dobe writing his last will and testament and instructions for his funeral." He felt so scared and betrayed that he covered it with anger because anger was easier to express and handle.

Although Sasuke's voice was neutral, the retired jounin could tell how mad the other man still was with the tension of his body. "And?"

"We ended up beating each other up." He didn't have to tell his former teacher that their brawl climaxed to a rough and raw sex. But judging by the leer that started appearing on the man's face, he didn't have to. Were they that predictable or was that how Kakashi and Iruka concluded their fights too? Sasuke believed it was the latter.

The silver-haired man looked and sounded serious when he stated, "All the things you felt that time, Naruto certainly felt them every time he accompanies you in your blind training. After all, you're preparing also, aren't you, Sasuke?" This time there was shrewdness and edge to his voice. He watched as Sasuke's eyes widened a miniscule.

"Ridiculous," the dark-haired man snapped and turned his head to the left, definitely sulking. It was ridiculous because he wasn't writing any of those things. Hell, he didn't even think about his funeral much less Naruto's.

Kakashi resisted the urge to giggle the second he noticed the almost non-existing pout shaping Sasuke's lips.

"It's different," he heard the younger man said in a less convincing tone.

"It's different," he repeated again. He had never really thought about that until now and although Kakashi was right, he didn't want to accept that well-made point as of the moment.

Both men expectantly looked at the door as it was opened. They could hear their wives receding chuckle as they made their way inside. In greeting, Kakashi raised his right hand while Sasuke just nodded.

"Guess what we're having for today?" Naruto asked childishly as he made his way to the kitchen, carrying his share of grocery bags.

"I don't know about you guys but I'll have Iruka for dinner."

"Kakashi!" a blushing Iruka protested. But he was more scandalized thinking what the other two men would think about them.

Assuming that Sasuke would say something similar, Naruto threw a warning glare to his spouse's direction.

Sasuke smirked. "I think I'd like to have something new. Eating the same thing over and over can be tiring."

The blonde let out a sigh of relief or was it disappointment?

And although it was just the four of them, they had sukiyaki for dinner that night. The dinner went well, meaning Sasuke and Naruto arguing once in a while and Iruka scolding Kakashi for being perverted.

The Uchiha couple thanked the Hatakes for dinner before they left. The moment the door was shut close, Naruto hurriedly walked, leaving Sasuke behind. Every time the dark-haired man tried to catch up, he would quicken his pace until both of them were brisk walking and then finally breaking into a sprint. He let out a cry of protest when he was slammed against a tree. He let out an indignant noise as one firm thigh was boldly pressed between his own.

"What I said back there at that time was a joke, dobe," Sasuke said. He wasn't stupid. He knew what was bothering Naruto. "And a tasteless one." Dipping his head lower, he whispered in a very low and deep voice, "I still want you. And if you don't believe me, I'm more than happy to show you how much I desire you as if," he paused to nip an earlobe, "as if I haven't tasted your sweetness or felt your warmth."

Naruto gripped Sasuke's shirt as his legs gave out. Those words delivered in his spouse's very potent bedroom voice had cooled his anger and kissed his pain away. He grazed Sasuke's pale neck with his lips before saying, "Even if it's a joke, I don't want to hear it so don't say it again." He knew it was expected and natural for married couples to lose sexual interest in each other and had their love turned to platonic or that of companionship. Even his married friends had fallen to that norm but Naruto couldn't do that... refused to do it because the child in him who had been ignored and hated still thirst for affection and love and because subconsciously, he was still making up to his himself for all the bad things that happened during his childhood through Sasuke's love and need for him. So even if people would comment how weird their relationship was, he wouldn't want it to change. He was comfortable with the way things were running between them and he had gotten used to those times when he and Sasuke would burn the bed, blanket and sheet with their insatiable passion. "Don't say it."

"Not again," Sasuke vowed.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Eight-two. In favor of Chie.

Akemi disdainfully glared at his borrowed naginata when Chie scored. The lady was definitely she-devil with her naginata that he wanted to forget about the rules he personally stated and just used taijutsu or ninjutsu to win this spar. As much as he wanted to do that, his goal wasn't winning the spar he casually extended to her but something else.

Chie feinted a direct which Akemi easily fell but the latter immediately caught up and awkwardly blocked the attack before returning it. Lunging forward, he smirked and asked, "Marry me?" And the sudden plead had the effect on his opponent just as he planned.

Chie looked shock and was still wondering if Akemi was serious or not when she found Akemi's blade uncomfortably close to her throat. She tightened her grip on her pole only to realize her hands were empty. Ah, yes her opponent had managed to break into her defense after he rid her of her weapon by using that phrase. It was a brilliant idea and...

"That was cheating," she said.

"Indeed. But I wasn't joking either when I said that. Marry me."

"Huh? Wh-" Chie shut her mouth realizing nothing meaningful was coming from her. The proposal had been unromantic. Worse, it was stated again at blade point. But then again, all their precious milestones with each other were said and done in unromantic scene and Akemi was just keeping tradition and she'd be damn if she won't follow it too.

She looked up and smiled. "Your win."

**TBC**

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**And the story get messier as Akemi proposed. What will Makoto do? What will the volatile Kisho do especially when during his confrontation with his brother, Akemi said, "I asked him to be my whore."**

**Kill...**


	85. 嘘の真実

**Hello. I feel like everything around me is whirling. ouch.**

**Anyway, sorry for the wait, guys. If I finish the next chapter, the next update would be tomorrow.**

Enjoy

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**Chapter 85: Lies and truth**

The familiar sound of flapping wings woke Kisho up from his shallow slumber on a tree branch. He opened one eye and stared at the dove. Dove… Not a hawk or falcon so it meant the letter was a private one. He watched as the winged-animal hopped to his lap and extended one leg.

"Good girl," he murmured patting her head before opening the letter. He read the missive written by his otousan then scowled darkly. His parents wanted him to return to Konoha for his brother's wedding. There was nothing wrong about that except that Akemi's partner wasn't Makoto but Chie.

Hadn't he left after creating a spark between the two? Hadn't he seen it with his own eyes how close they had gotten and how much time they spent with each other? Did Akemi lead Makoto on? That bastard! He had fooled him- Kisho. How stupid of him. He shouldn't have underestimated the master of the game but how was he supposed to know that the game he was playing was also right into Akemi's alley. Damn. He had hurt Makoto who he only wanted to be happy.

Makoto. The coffee-freak. The man who looked, sounded and acted asexual or like someone who wanted to be celibate forever. At least that was what he thought until that time. It had been a surprise to hear that his friend had focused his beautiful purple eyes on Akemi without glancing his way. And although it hurt, he had offered to help him for a simple reason that if he couldn't have Makoto to himself then at least let his partner be someone he knew.

And dammit! Did it have to be Akemi? Why must his brother have everything? Ah now he remembered. Akemi was perfectly perfect. Aside that he inherited the Uchiha looks and the Uzumaki charms, he had brains, skills and talents. Among the four of them, Akemi was the most intelligent and most attractive. Dammit!

He looked at the letter and noted the date. He still had six days to work on his anger before going back to Konoha to smile and all. He looked around. Now, where was the missing-nin he had been following since an hour ago?

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The man looked like a deer that had the misfortune to bump into its predator- wide-eyed and frozen. In a brief moment, he recalled the conversation he heard while spending a night at a discrete tavern.

"_Konoha had let out one of its beasts to go after missing-nins and seems like it has no plans in calling it back."_

"_Rumors have it that his promotion was so fast that he is the object of envy and scorn among his peers and comrades."_

"_They said he wears a crimson red mask with three white whiskers engraved on both cheeks."_

_The other man scoffed, "They? You mean his victims? He spares no one so unless dead men tell tales-"_

_His friend brought his mug to the table hard. "He? How do you know he is a he? Dead men tell no tales!"_

And what was a friendly discussion ended up an all-out fistfight between two drunk friends.

He checked the description. Red mask with six whiskers engraved. Certain that it was indeed the beast, he gulped and fled as fast as his chakra-powered feet allowed him.

Running away was either an act of cowardice or bravery depending upon the situation. And his dictated that it was an act of courage. He cursed his luck and life itself. His crimes were as heinous as those of an ordinary bandit- plunder, steal, rape and kill so why the hell did he have to encounter the fearful beast? He took a second to look over his shoulder to find no one. He focused his gaze back ahead of him and let out a pathetic 'eep' as he spotted his predator leaning against a tree a foot away from him.

And even though he couldn't see the face behind that bloody mask, he knew the hunter-nin was smiling, judging from his voice as he spoke.

"Exercise before death isn't necessary."

Damn! Would pleading for his life be considered an act of courage?

"Fight, mister and I might let you go."

The man gulped.

"Fight me with everything you have."

He sweated.

"Fight me or else-"

The man lunged forward.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho realized that death and sex hadn't completely gotten rid of his anger especially the moment he saw his brother smirking.

Akemi's smirk widened as he saw Kisho. He greeted him in an infuriating voice, "Welcome home, Kisho."

"I'm home, oniisama," was the curt and edgy reply. The last word was coated with animosity.

The older Uchiha didn't look surprise when he was slammed to a tree. He calmly looked at the hands that were holding a fistful of his shirt. "What did I do to deserve such lovely reaction from a great hunter-nin master?"

"You fucking led him on!" Kisho snapped. His blood was boiling and his chakra simmering.

Akemi maintained his innocent façade. "Led who on? Refresh my memory, will you? I have so many victims that I-"

"Makoto!" A furious Kisho watched as a look of acknowledgement dawned on his brother's fucking face.

"Ah yes... Mako-chan..." Akemi looked immensely amused as the hold on his shirt tightened at the affectionate way he was calling the brunette. Moving his face closer to his brother's, he breathed, "I asked him to be my whore."

Disgust, disbelief, anger and horror made Kisho stumble away from him. "You wouldn't," he murmured, his ebony eyes pleading at the same time showing that he was in throes of denial. His brother wasn't this cruel nor was he even corrupted. What made his brother like this? Selfishness?

A smug Akemi straightened the creases of his shirt. "I did. Being my whore is the next best thing to being my wife, don't you think?"

Fucking insufferable son of a bitch.

With hot air swirling around him, the younger Uchiha snarled, "I'll kill you." He became even more irritated when his brother just arched an eyebrow, daring him.

"Go ahead. I won't even lift a finger to stop you," Akemi replied in an eerily calm voice.

Despite the increase of the intensity of the hot air around him, Kisho didn't budge an inch. He looked slightly alarmed when a dangerously calculative look dawned on Akemi's neutral face. His experiences in the wilderness couldn't exactly help him when he was facing this side of his brother. He couldn't exactly pinpoint the reason why he was scared of him. Hell, he was more than scared of Akemi than of Yuuzuki.

When Akemi took a step forward, his body tensed, whether to fight or flight he didn't know. He felt fingers gliding on his left arm before they lightly gripped his wrist. Second later, something cold and hard was pressed against his palm and Akemi gently led his fingers to clutch around the object.

"You now have a kunai and its point is brushing against my chest. All you have to do is to thrust." And Akemi dragged the last word to a sensual whisper.

Kisho gulped. Akemi made everything easy for him. It was just one thrust and yet his fingers trembled. He never felt so small and inferior in his life and his previous confrontations with his brother never made him feel this way. What was Akemi up to? Why was he being twice more creepy?

"You can't, can you?" Akemi asked few seconds later. "If I were you, I'd convince Makoto to decline my offer rather than giving empty threats. Or if you want, I can invite you to watch our threesome, Kisho-chan." With that said in breathless anticipation, he sauntered away from the shocked blonde to go back to the manor. As he made his way across the trees dividing the training area and the manor's backyard, Yuuzuki gracefully and soundlessly dropped beside him.

"Quite a show you put up there with Kisho, Akemi," he said, his hands inside his jeans' back pockets.

Glancing slightly to Yuuzuki's side, he replied, "I take it that you like it."

"I did until the part you taunted him to kill you." The Uchiha heir rolled his eyes at the other's recklessness. He knew that if Kisho really desired to kill him, he would without batting an eyelash or thinking of the consequences. "Have you forgotten that there won't be a wedding if the groom dies?"

Akemi chuckled. "Everything was taken into account so your worry was unnecessary."

"As expected of the master," the older commented dryly.

The younger man let it slide. "It's a pity we won't be able to watch the climax only the conclusion."

Yuuzuki sent him a disapproving glare while pitying Kisho who had become a pawn of their brother's game. "You're enjoying this more than you should."

"Making our siblings suffer by our hands is such a thrilling past time, right?" The younger man asked in an accusing tone, remembering those times he had suffered at Yuuzuki's pranks and teases.

"I don't know what you're talking about," was the reply made in a voice too innocent to be true, making him snort.

The two didn't look surprise when a thundering sound exploded from a particular area of the training ground causing birds nearby to flee.

"It's about time for him to snap from his stupor," Akemi commented.

Yuuzuki sighed knowing how displeased their chichiue would be when he would find out that one of his trees now bore the brunt of Kisho's wrath.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Akemi's wedding was solemnly held at the garden of the Uchiha manor one breezy afternoon. The reception was then held inside the main residence. At his parents' suggestion, Akemi had sent a wedding invitation to Chie's family. However, Lord Sakuma ignored it and forbade anyone of them to go or send any form of congratulations until his councilors butted in. The lord ordered his oldest daughter to attend the ceremony and party as a diplomatic obligation considering that it was the wedding of one of the hokage's sons. She obeyed the lord's order but for another reason- she wanted to wish her sister the best.

As she watched the Akimichi couple, who were acting as Chie's parents, thanking the visitors together with the Uchiha couple, she couldn't help but hate her father.

As usual, Kisho had surrounded himself with the fairer sex but his attention on them was only half. The remaining half was busy thinking about one person.

Although it had been two days since his frustrating encounter with Akemi, he hadn't able to meet or talk with Makoto who according to Kazushi was on a mission. But his object of attention managed to arrive just in time for the ceremony to begin. And judging by his fatigue appearance, Makoto had hurried home to see Akemi exchanging vows. Was he a masochist? Damn. Why was Akemi so lucky? He was so jealous that he had to control his urge to strangle his bastard of a brother during the ceremony. The second the ceremony was over, Makoto was gone and Kisho wondered if his friend had been there in the first place or had it been his imagination only?

When the party was in full swing, Makoto appeared once more and went straight to the buffet table. Unfortunately, Kisho who had concluded that it had been his eyes playing on him, hadn't noticed his presence until one female stooped to pick her fan while providing the drop-dead gorgeous lad an ample view of her full breasts. By then, Akemi had approached the coffee addict and steered him outside by the elbow.

_I asked him to be my whore._

With a smile and a promise to return, Kisho excused himself from the flirting ladies. Unfortunately and much to his growing frustration and building anger, a lot of people had stopped him on his way outside to ask him about his adventures as a hunter-nin or flirt with him. Why was there a sudden increase of his admirers? Was it because Akemi was now married? Obviously.

After what was like an eternity, he finally reached the door. He let his gaze swept the lawn and saw them. The two seemed to be in a heated verbal exchange. But he couldn't hear what was being said and he knew if he would move closer within hearing range, they would stop. Even in the darkness, Kisho could feel his brother's gaze on him and he was certain a smirk was on his lips. Did Mako accept his brother's offer? Was he too late?

After a few whispered words, Akemi walked off to another direction avoiding Kisho.

Black eyes watched as Makoto stared at the retreating figure with a look he assumed to be longing and suddenly, everything made him sick.

"What does Akemi-nii have that I don't?" he asked the moment he reached his friend.

Makoto almost jumped out of his skin. "Kisho!" he said with a strained smile. He frowned when he noticed pain lurking at the edges of midnight black eyes. "What's wrong?"

The blonde slightly shook his head and in a dangerously and uncanny quiet voice said, "The blood that runs through his veins is similar to mine so what does he have that I don't?"

"Nothing," he answered although he had no idea why they have this conversation all of sudden.

"But you..." _want him_, he finished quietly. "I can be Akemi." And he showed it through henge.

"No, you couldn't be him. You two are different, Kisho." His amethyst eyes looked sincere and it shattered him more.

"I can make you forget about him."

Makoto was annoyed. What was wrong with Kisho? And why was he so determined in making him forget his brother. Scowling, he said, "Look, Kisho, I don't-" His eyes widened as lips were desperately pressed against his, swallowing the rest of his words. It took a few seconds for his brain to register that Kisho was kissing him. Was the lad out of his mind?

Contrary to what the purple-eyed man was thinking, Kisho was still in full control of his thoughts and senses. "I'm not Akemi but I'm an Uchiha," he whispered to the still-shocked man before taking his lips once more and this time passionately.

Makoto pulled away, his hands on Kisho's shoulders. He looked at his close friend who was kind enough to do this for him and then his purple eyes glinted calculatingly before he breathed, "Yes, make me forget... make me forget about A- the world." Without further ado, he meshed their mouths together, both men an active participant.

The newly wed ran along the petal-covered street that led to their renovated house in the Uchiha district, their mellow laughter and their friends' encouragement and best wishes trailing after them. Naruto watched his son and daughter-in-law until they completely disappeared into their house. Feeling sad and happy at the same time, he walked inside to join the guests who had remained even after the send off. Noticing that the supply of wine was decreasing rapidly, he was about to get more from the kitchen, when pain exploded in his abdomen. It was still dull but it had made his eyes watery. Still maintaining a straight posture, he calmly swept his gaze across the whole room, his blue eyes looking for his husband's figure out of panic. He had to find him before the pain would reach its peak.

He sucked in deep breaths and carefully wiped the sweat beads gracing his face. He bit back a moan as pain intensified. He felt like he was being slowly sliced open with salt-coated dull pocket knife. Alone, he stumbled back to the lawn and in pain, he didn't notice the pair of eyes following him.

Naruto leaned against a tree, his form bent forward as he felt food making its way up. He felt even more nauseous when nothing came out. He could slightly taste the sourness of vomit but nothing came, not even a drip. It was as if pain constricted even his throat which was now parched.

His nails dug the tree's trunk as mercilessly as pain pounded inside him. A part of him wanted to give up; to ask death to visit him right rather than suffer this unbearable pain but he couldn't break his promise with Sasuke. That was the only thing that stopped him from killing himself. Out of nowhere, a hand held a glass of water to him. He took it and greedily drunk the lukewarm liquid.

He straightened gingerly and turning around, he said, "Thanks, Sasu-" He trailed off and the glass fell to the grass-covered ground as he stared at piercing emerald eyes. "Gaara..." he breathed, his blue eyes dark with panic.

The kazekage looked smug, aware that both of them knew that the game was over somehow and it was Naruto who lost.

"Spill," was the humorless and impatient order. The redhead took a step forward and Naruto one backward. Two steps more and the blonde was trapped between his friend and the tree.

"I'm waiting... patiently," Gaara said but the hard glint of his eyes told Naruto otherwise. "Naruto." This time his voice was dripping with danger.

"Kyuubi," was the whispered reply and not long after, Naruto was confessing. Neither of the two had noticed the small bug on one branch above them flapping its wings but never leaving... not until Naruto finished his confession.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Any words needed and wanted to be said melted at the onslaught of pleasure between Makoto and Kisho. Clothes were quickly shed, pushed and dropped to the floor of Kisho's bedroom.

The blonde let out a deep guttural moan as his erection pressed against Makoto's the second they fell on his bed. He looked at the older man feeling insecure all of sudden seeing how those amethyst eyes were stirred with something he couldn't name.

Was he... Who was Makoto seeing now? Who was he thinking of at that moment?

Those questions of doubt and insecurity vanished when Makoto buried his face against the junction of his neck and shoulder and murmured the blonde's name in a sinfully seductive whisper.

Kisho shivered at that voice that held too much of everything. No woman had ever made him feel this needy, dizzy, weak and wanton. Everything Venus-sama taught him and every response she programmed in his system were all deleted one by one until he felt like it was his first time tasting the sweetness of pleasure and of foreplay.

Makoto wasn't faring better, he could tell. The man's lack of experience was displayed with his kisses and touches but it didn't kept him from moaning. Every caress and every response were raw and random. There were no thoughts or calculations just plain instincts, dictating and demanding. Makoto was all over him, kissing and touching. And God, it felt way too good. He lay there completely in bliss of having this man have his wicked way with him.

No consequences of what would happen if Akemi knew he had touch his whore came to him because tonight, Makoto was his to touch, to taste, to pleasure... to make love to. He didn't dwell on the past nor think of tomorrow. None of that mattered but this night when he was Makoto's and when Makoto was his. Completely... unquestionably.

He shuddered when hot breath fanned over his hard-on before he was engulfed by warm and wet cavern. He mewled observing how hotter was Makoto's mouth compared to his past partners. He lifted his hips wanting more. He keened when he was deep-throated. Seeing too many colors at a time, he wondered if what he was feeling could still be called pleasure when it was too much... when it was more than that. Was there even an exact word for this?

"Makoto," he breathed slowly... softly.

Makoto drank the sight before him making him harder, if that was possible. The blonde was beautiful more so when he was writhing with pleasure... pleasure he created. He let one of his hands massaged Kisho's inner thighs before doodling shapes and patterns because his responses were encouraging at the same time addicting.

He continued his suctions, varying its pressure every now and then. He knew the blonde was close judging by the tension of his muscles and of his erection. He gave one strong suck and let go making the other cry out in protest.

Kisho's ascension to the top was delightfully smooth that he thought his climb to the peak would be quick so when the wicked mouth stopped giving him the necessary force, he was jolted back to reality and let out a cry of protest. So frustrated was he that he didn't feel fingers gliding to his cock while hot breaths made a downward trail.

His half-coherent demand came out as half-gasp and half moan when Makoto pressed his tongue against his perineum before teasing it in a way that made Kisho boneless.

After a couple of jerks on his penis and teasing his perineum, Kisho came harder than ever before and oh dear God, the bliss was beyond words and imagination.

When he opened his eyes, Makoto was above him licking his fingers clean. He returned the foxy smile amethyst-eyed man was giving and pulled him down to lick the specks of semen on his cheeks and on the side of his mouth before he kissed him. Both of them groaned and deepened the lip lock knowing what they wanted but not knowing how much. They parted gasping. Kisho found himself under the intense gaze of dark amethyst eyes and he was lost. He couldn't name the emotion that colored the edges of those orbs. But it made him shiver with delight because gone was Makoto's predictability and transparency replaced by vagueness that made Kisho wanted to hold the man for eternity.

Makoto carefully traced swollen lips before he silently asked, _Can I?_

Kisho reply was just as silent. _Only if I'll be the top in the next round._

The older teen chuckled before he began to run his hands and mouth everywhere noting how smooth his skin was and how responsive his body was to his touches.

Kisho's touches faltered when one slick finger entered him, slowly moving in circular motion trying to be as gentle and less uncomfortable as it could.

He forced himself to relax especially when another finger was added, stretching him farther. His heart clenched when he saw his partner's face crunched in control. His eyes drifted to the man's groin and felt himself shivered in anticipation. Could he sheath that? He melted right there and then when a particular spot inside him was touched. He could feel electricity rushing through every fiber of his being and he wanted more. He wanted more of that pressure but not with fingers… he wanted something hot… something hard… something bigger and better.

He opened his legs accommodating the man who whispered in warning before he pushed in, causing Kisho to arch his body like a tight bow.

A reverent oath was ripped from Makoto's throat as he found himself surrounded by tightness and heat. He wondered if he could last long when everything was too much and too good. He brushed his lip against Kisho's neck as he started moving testily until the body beneath him was emitting sounds that were like hot bullets shooting directly to his groin. He groaned when his thrusts were being returned, one after another.

"Oh God!" he whispered between grunts as he found himself reaching deeper until he felt like he was being buried alive; like he was falling into a crevasse that held so much promise.

"More… give me more," Kisho whispered breathlessly. With pleasure clawing within him, breathing, speaking and thinking became too difficult… He just wanted to die... to go where these currents that jolted through his body was willing to take him. He moved against him, trembling with pleasure when his spot was hit and shuddering in anticipation when Makoto's hot engorged manhood would pull back knowing that the next thrust would be better and more powerful. He wrapped his arms around pale neck, pulling Makoto for a tight kiss.

"Makoto… nngh… I… God… I… fuck it." He decided to stop talking because it was useless especially when his heart had jump to block his words' path. There was no need to talk anyway not when their bodies where doing the talking, the dancing… the everything.

With one last powerful thrust, orgasm ripped through them smoothly, wonderfully and sweetly leaving them nothing but a rioting mass of heat and fullness. They continued riding their orgasm, unable to stop moving against and with each other because the friction of their sweat-drenched and semen-slicked bodies was too amazing. And it heightened their senses and dragged their orgasm longer.

Kisho scowled when Makoto pulled out too soon. He looked at his side where the other man was lying and pressed his hot lips against the latter's sweaty neck. "I won't allow this to be a one-night stand." Not after that wonderful explosion. He'd make Makoto forget about Akemi and make him love him.

"Me too," was the reply that surprised Kisho. Did that mean anything? Should it mean anything? "But I think you should hear me out before you decide such things." A blonde brow arched in confusion. What was there for him to know? He already knew the most important thing- Makoto loved his brother but he could change that. He could. He would.

"I'm not in love with your brother."

_WHAT?!_ Obsidian eyes bulged. Kisho sat up at the same time that Makoto did. "You don't have to lie," he said, laying a hand against a shoulder that had been tensed during their wild moment. "I understand and I can change that if you let me."

"No, I'm not lying," the ANBU member continued, shrugging the hand that showed understanding when its owner didn't understand… failed to see things.

"But you said-" Kisho trailed off. No, Makoto didn't say who he was in love with. In fact, it was Kazushi who mentioned his brother's name and Makoto was glaring and cursing. But he didn't deny it either and Kisho immediately took his lack of denial as a confirmation. So who could it be? Could it be-? No, it couldn't be. Definitely not but why did hope blossom in his heart like a rose in a winter?

Makoto shifted so he could sit in front of his friend whom he lied to. "Actually, it's you… ", he confessed quietly, his amethyst eyes darting to the other side of the room.

"M-m-me? But why? How?" This was so sudden even though that it was what he hoped for.

"Does it matter? The reasons? The manner?"

"But-" And then following surprise and confusion was anger when he remembered the efforts he put into setting Akemi and Makoto up and not the mention the pain he went through. In short, he had been made a fool. "You… you made a fool of me!" he whispered coldly, black eyes burning with anger and highlighted by pain. "Did you have fun? Did you have a good laugh?"

The older man looked desperate as he tried to appease, to make his love understand. "I shouldn't have… I could have told you that moment but you look so damned irresistible when you offered help and I couldn't pass the chance that your helping me would make me spend more time with you."

"You-" Kisho lost in his thoughts that were spinning too fast. This was too much… the pain and the happiness that were entwined beautifully. "You lied to me."

"This is what my unrequited feelings had made me- selfish, deceitful and insensitive but…" he trailed off to focus intense amethyst eyes on him, keeping obsidian orbs in prison. "But I wanted you… I want you so bad I ache with it every fucking day."

Another realization struck the younger lad and he choked it. "Akemi," he said. "Akemi-nii…He said he asked you to be his whore"

"WHAT? He never said such thing," Makoto said, wondering why Akemi was saying such corrupted offer when the man was too immaculate for that. He had to think about that later because right now Kisho demanded attention. "The day before you left, I told him and he decided to help me for a reason I couldn't grasp even now."

An awkward and suffocating silence fell on both of them. Makoto tried to be patient; tried to understand that everything depended on Kisho now. He had risked their friendship just to have this forbidden fruit and he couldn't tell if he regretted it or if he was sorry for lying to his friend.

Kisho stared at his hands knowing amethyst orbs were still looking at him, trying to read his actions. Everyone… everyone had lied to him. Shigure… Kazushi… Makoto and even Akemi… each one of them had made a fool out of him for what? It wasn't like they knew he had feelings for the coffee-freak because he had hid it layers upon layers of his perversion and fixation on women. He was certain that no one knew and yet they lied to him in order for Makoto to be happy. They did it for Makoto… for him… for his happiness.

"Ne, Mako-chan," he started in a soft voice. "Are you happy?"

Confused and wary, the other man answered with the same tone, "Yeah… but I paid a high price for it." He let out a silent gasp when a hand cupped his left cheek. He looked at Kisho but his eyes were downcast and the shadows of his bangs were covering most part of his face.

"If that's the case then I'm happy too." And Kisho lifted his face which had a small smile and a blush on it.

"Do you mean-"

"Yeah I forgive you because… the truth is…" He was happy because his love was happy too. This happiness he felt… wasn't this the same thing he saw reflected on his otousan's eyes whenever chichiue was happy? "The truth is… I love you too."

"Eh?" This time, it was Makoto who was surprised.

"Yeah, I do. This was the reason why I offered help to set you up with Akemi-nii."

"Really?" he asked as he grabbed the hand against his cheek lovingly.

"Yeah," Kisho reassured as he moved his face closer until their lips were just a centimeter apart. With his breath fanning against his lover's face he said, "And I'll prove it to you for the remaining night."

"Please do," Makoto replied before closing the small gap. _I'll take him to my painting room and show him all my paintings of him_, was his last coherent thought before Kisho ate him alive limb by limb. He thought what he was feeling when the blonde's hands, mouth and tongue worried over every part of him especially his erogenous spots was pleasure but he was wrong. He thought that it was pleasure when Kisho thrust into him and kept on ramming against his sweet spot but again he was wrong. It was only when did he reach his peak did he realized that, that was pleasure and he understood the reason why women giggle and blush every time they saw Kisho. Kisho was a master and he was his.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Chie blindly stared at the expanse of the lawn of her new home as she reminisced her wedding. A small part of her had been disappointed that her father hadn't come. But such pain had been dulled seeing all the people that had became important to her coming to see her exchanging vows with Akemi. She looked at her wedding band and playfully twirled it around. She couldn't stop the smile spreading on her lips knowing she got married out of love- which was a privilege among royals. She wanted to raise her hands into the air and do a victory dance. Ah! She was so giddy with happiness. She looked at the window glass to see Akemi standing behind her. On the mirror, they locked gazes.

Akemi wrapped his arms around her frame. And the hunger that pierced through him wasn't one to possess her but that to hold her; to cherish her and to make her happy. He wanted to warn her that he could never loved her the way otousan loved chichiue but he would certainly love her in his own way but he suddenly became shy so he whispered, "Thank you." He was grateful that Chie chose him to love and to share her life with despite his shortcomings. Everything from the moment she accepted his proposal to this moment felt so surreal. And because it seemed to be a dream, he was instinctively bracing himself for that moment when he'd be rudely awakened.

"Chie..." he breathed.

His wife broke their gaze to tilt her head to look at him.

"Chie," he whispered before he took her lips for a kiss that prelude the very ancient dance.

Chie shuddered at the sensation that flowed through her like electric current. Each contact of Akemi's hands as he slowly divested her kimono made her skin tingle for more. She looked into deep blue orbs and found herself being drowned but it was okay knowing that Akemi was also affected with the fire burning between them.

Akemi gulped at his wife's naked form. She looked more beautiful than in his dreams and he was certain that she would taste better. He couldn't wait to celebrate his triumph. She was his and he would take time in claiming her.

Chie shyly brushed away hair strands from her husband's forehead. "I love you," she whispered between kisses as he led her to the, no, their bed. She whispered it again because love was brimming within her, completely suffocating her. She felt Akemi's lips curved into a smile as it trailed a path on her cleavage and downward. She let out a short gasp as her left nipple was taken by a hot mouth and was sensuously nibbled. Her spouse was definitely driving her insane and she saw no reason why she'd be the only one to suffer.

Feeling bold and competitive, she maneuvered them to sit on the bed and started using her hands and mouth. She smirked as she felt the tensing of the muscles beneath her caresses and heard the distinctive hitch of his breath. Let him feel what the feeling of being mad with pleasure and desire.

"Fuck," Akemi murmured as fingers glided on his abdomen before going back up to tease his pert nipples.

With Chie being seductive as hell, it wouldn't be a surprise if Akemi would ravished her completely and quickly. The flame was burning brighter and bigger and the temperature had risen. Only few words were exchanged and few of them ended up as moans or gasps while some were swallowed by eager mouths.

Akemi pulled her to let her straddle him. He shivered as he felt her heat and dampness on his lap and he couldn't wait for that moment when he'd drive into her. He shivered more when the tip of his erection brushed against her belly and tainted it with his precum. Oh God!

Chie gripped his shoulders knowing she was already incapable of remaining sitting after the pleasure that rocked her body. Her lips met his again and she took that moment to lie on her back taking him with her.

When Akemi positioned between her legs, her gaze impulsively dropped downward. Her heart skipped a beat at the hard weeping flesh she saw. She licked her suddenly dry lips out of excitement and fear. Her flushed lithe frame arched as her spouse penetrated her in one single thrust.

Snugly sheathed by her womanly folds, Akemi with sheer effort fought the urge to piston in and out. Despite the pleasure, he was still logical enough not to cause unnecessary discomfort on his wife. However, it didn't mean he couldn't do anything to make the pain disappear quickly. With purpose, he trailed kisses anywhere within his mouth's reach. He nibbled, bit and sucked until Chie bucked against him. "Please," she breathed against his lips. She tightened her muscles around him making his eyes darken more. "Hurry."

And Akemi let loose. He let go of his little control and did what he really wanted to do- plunged into her over and over again until both of them were wild with desire and ache with wanting and ready to burst into golden dusts.

Akemi's name fell from her abused lips again and again every time he rammed into her until it was like his heart beat within her body. Their moans and grunts reached to crescendo as they fell over the cliff and floated.

Even when it was over and the fire of their passion had momentarily became cinders, they didn't break their intimate contact. They were still cocooned in the euphoria caused by their climax. Chie lay on top of Akemi, her head resting on his chest as she listened to the sound of his heartbeat.

She sighed dreamily. "I never thought about this," she confessed. "I always thought I'd end up unwanted and unloved by the opposite sex but..." she trailed off. Finally, she knew the feeling of being loved wholly and that knowledge... that experience made her world more colorful.

"You'll always be loved by me," Akemi whispered as he affectionately rubbed her back.

"Thank you." She planted a kiss on his chest.

Akemi noticed her slightly upturned face and asked about it. His wife chuckled sheepishly but answered in a serious manner. "I'm half-expecting Kisho-kun and Mako-chan barging in here to demand for your head." She was certain that by now, the two realized who fooled who.

Akemi chuckled. Ah yes those two idiots who unwittingly became two of his too many pawns. "Their fault."

It was Kisho's fault that he let his guard down after noticing that he- Akemi failed to figure out his plan. That had been right. Akemi was brave enough to admit that he couldn't even guess Kisho's plan but he wasn't called a master of the game if he couldn't penetrate the minds of his subjects through thorough observation. It took him longer than usual but he finally understood that the emotion highlighting the edges of Kisho's inky eyes every time he and Makoto met was pain and that the reason why Kisho's tone had a slight edge when talking to him was because of jealousy. In short and as surprising as it was, Kisho was in love with Makoto. And he had tried teasing his brother and encouraging him to step out from the shell by getting close with his purple-eyed friend. However, when Makoto had confessed to him that he was actually in love with Kisho and told him about everything, Akemi decided to play the game because both of them were too blind to see each other's feelings. The only reason he had offered his help to Makoto was that his brother returned the other's feelings. Of course, he had completely forgotten to tell Makoto his realization but he wasn't sorry. It added excitement to his plan.

He knew Kisho would be so mad at him for what he did in fact, he was sure Kisho would exact his revenge but now was not the time to worry about that.

"I'm sure they'll be busy with each other to bother us," Akemi assured her with a smirk. "Let's get busy also. I was told not to dilly-dally in the children department."

Chie's face turned red but she didn't discourage her spouse's touches.

**TBC**

* * *

**That settled Akemi's and Kisho's love life. Double lemon. I think I drink too much Lemon juice. Corny.**

**Hmmm... next chapter..**

**Nothing had prepared Naruto for what happens the moment he opened front door of his home.**


	86. 激怒

**As promised, I updated today.**

**I hope this lives up to your expectation.**

'H**im' should be 'her'… yeah I get it now. Thanks to XKunoichiofthePaintbrushX for the nudge.**

* * *

**Chapter 86: Short Rancor**

"Sa-Sasuke, wait," Naruto stammered as cold and adventurous hands slid under his shirt while skillful mouth latched itself on his tanned neck. Both of them were in the kitchen drinking coffee before Sasuke decided that their breakfast could be leftovers from the party last night and straddled his wife.

"Why not?" he mumbled, not stopping from his sensual offense.

"Kisho's here. We shouldn't give him a nose-bleed scene of which he could rave about to anyone who listens," he explained a little bit breathlessly.

Sasuke paused.

_Kisho's here._

It was now that instead of '_Akemi and Kisho are here_'. It was no longer that because Akemi was now married and was starting his life with Chie. And it wouldn't be soon before it would be just the two of them. A long time ago when they had just gotten married, he thought the manor house was enough for both of them. But the birth of their children had changed that opinion and as they started leaving one by one with their partner, the house had become bigger and bigger and less warm, much to his sadness.

He took a deep breath and rested his forehead on a shoulder.

"Everybody's leaving us," he breathed.

One arm came to wrap around his frame as a sympathetic gesture. "I know but we couldn't go against the way of life."

"They're going to visit us, anyway," Sasuke whispered, assuring himself more than his wife.

"With their kids," Naruto added with child-like amusement. "It won't be long before we'll be cradling Akemi's child. I can't wait for Kisho to get married and have kids."

His words floated to hallway causing Kisho to pause from his walk away from the laundry room. He scowled, his eyes betraying his sudden confusion and hurt. He disappeared from the hallway and then reappeared in his room. He shakily sat on his newly made bed.

Judging by his chichiue's tone, Kisho knew he would be crushed if he would tell them he wouldn't be able to give them grandchildren with his choice of a partner. And now that he had Makoto, he couldn't let him go. No, definitely not. Not after he saw how tensed Makoto was when he was pounding into him and how he writhed as he- Kisho did the pounding. He sighed, knowing he had a lot of thinking to do if he was to make a choice. But he won't be able to do that when he could still smell the faint traces of last night's activity.

Trying to avoid his women, he took to the roof. But he knew very soon he would have to tell them the game was over before Makoto would think that he was just one of the pretty faces he fucked.

"Old man," he mumbled in greeting to Jiraiya's grave. He took a seat and leaned against the toad hermit's tombstone. He stared at the blue crystal sky and sighed "I don't understand why chichiue expects us to be all heterosexual when he himself isn't. Do you, you pervert?"

Silence punctuated by three noisy crows was the answer to his question but it didn't stop him from asking more. "Would they understand if I tell them? Would you understand?"

He laughed at the last question knowing Jiraiya would probably hit him for ending up like his parents after all the things he did to make sure he won't walk that less traveled road. He laughed more imagining Venus-sama's reaction. She would probably burst a vein or two in her anger.

But his amusement was short-lived. He was heading for trouble if he won't take action soon. He knew a do-or-die situation when he sees one and dammit! This was one of them. Why couldn't things be simple? And he continued sitting there, thinking, wondering and planning.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Naruto answered the door and looked surprised to see his closest friends waiting outside. With confusion in his blue eyes, he was about to ask the reason for their presence when the ever hot-headed Kiba gave him one good punch that sent the blonde flying backwards and past a bewildered Sasuke who was standing few steps from the front door.

"Kiba!" Hinata exclaimed, worried at the same time embarrassed. But nevertheless, she together with the rest followed her husband inside.

"What the hell was that for?" Naruto demanded while still feeling dizzy. That innocent question had sent him towards the coffee table, shattering its glass. "You asshole," Naruto growled angrily while pushing himself to his feet. Some glass shards had cut into his exposed skin and blood trickled from few of them.

Kiba was about to attack again when Hinata grabbed him from behind. But what really stopped him was a very angry Sasuke who appeared in front of Naruto in a blink of an eye.

"Take one step forward and I'll definitely kill you," he said. It wasn't a threat but warning coated with a promise of a painful death and everybody was certain the Uchiha leader would. This was Sasuke protecting his man…

"Step aside, Sasuke. He deserves this for keeping secrets."

…Sasuke defending his dobe…

"What secrets he keeps are his... our business."

"So you're into this?" Kiba demanded. The Uchiha leader became the receiving end of glares and accusing looks.

…and Sasuke shielding his Naruto.

He smirked. "Obviously but why aren't you hitting me?"

Shikamaru sighed. The situation had become more troublesome after Kiba's first punch. They had agreed to confront the subject peacefully but apparently there was a part of 'peacefully' Kiba didn't understand. But he also understood what his friend was feeling. In fact if it weren't so troublesome, he would use his most basic Shadow Technique to hold Naruto while the rest would beat him up. That would be a perfect punishment but it was too troublesome.

Kiba knew what everybody agreed but seeing Naruto had completely snapped his hold on his boiling temper that he couldn't stop wanting to beat the blonde up. His body tensed ready to punch the smirk off from Sasuke's face but Hinata's grip on his left arm tightened.

"Calm down, Kiba," Hinata whispered almost pleadingly. She was worried that Sasuke would show no hesitation on killing her spouse.

Naruto stood beside Sasuke. "So this is what it's all about?" he sneered. He was angry that his friends came to his house to attack him. Actually, it was only Kiba who did but their not stopping him was an act of support and encouragement.

Sakura fumed. Among all of Naruto's friends, Sakura was the most angry and hurt. Tsunade had kept it from her. And her former teammates, Kakashi included, had left her in the dark. Why was she always an outcast? And always the last to know? Wasn't she a member of the messed-up Team Seven?

Sasuke's eyes met Shikamaru's almost half-closed ones. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces, they had traded knowledge, discussed opinions and gauged the situation before paying them a visit. Sasuke wouldn't be surprised if they or to be exact, the lazy genius came up with plans. He probably came up with damage-control plans too if things go awry. _The_ Nara certainly expected Kiba to go wild because he didn't even made a reaction after the punch and because he did, the Hyuuga leader's attack wasn't considered to be a situation where he needed to step in.

"I'm going to die. So what? Everybody's going to die one way or another. It just happened my death was decided to be this way," Naruto stated casually.

Before anyone could move, Sakura had moved forward and slapped him. Hard. "You insensitive fool!" Sakura hissed, unmindful of Sasuke tensing and glaring at her. "You're right. Everybody's going to die. It's a natural thing so why did you hide it from us?" she demanded while glaring through her tears. She angrily wiped them away.

Naruto flinched seeing her tears. He always felt bad seeing her cry. He took a deep breath. "Sakura-chan, sorry." He looked at the rest and apologized as well. "I don't want you guys to worry."

What did Sasuke say in their latest fight?

_You made me feel weak..._

"I don't want to see pity looks everyday. Or live each day with you telling me what to do and what not."

"That's out of worry!" Ino retorted hotly stepping behind Sakura whose words came out as sobs. "You can't expect us to be apathetic."

"I'm not. I just don't want you to worry unnecessary. I don't want you to make me feel weak," he finished quietly.

"If we do, it isn't because we're doing it in purpose," Tenten argued. "Surely, you understand that."

Of course he did because that was what he was doing to Sasuke too but… "I don't want to burden you with this. You guys have your own life."

"Naruto-kun, you miss one important matter: friends share joys and sufferings, especially sufferings," Lee said in a voice full of conviction. Trust the special jounin to say such corny things without feeling embarrassed.

Knowing they weren't going anywhere, Naruto sighed. He met deceptively lazy look, hurt looks, unreadable calm looks and angry glares with a sheepish look of his own. "I wanted to tell you but it's hard for me. I couldn't just approach you and inform you of this grave matter." He tried to find a perfect opportunity to tell them but every time they meet together, the atmosphere was that of excitement and happiness that he didn't have the heart to break it with such announcement.

"So you want us to find it out?" Chouji asked.

"Not really. Whether you find it out or not doesn't really matter to me."

All men frowned.

"Meaning?" Shino asked tersely.

"It wouldn't change anything."

All of them sighed. Naruto was being difficult and as much as they want to throw a tantrum, they were aware that they were no longer kids. They had to approach things maturely. Besides, it's too difficult to remain mad at someone who was trying to savor his remaining time without being obvious and resigned to his end.

"That's it? You're not going to tell us finer details?" Shikamaru asked as he twirled a cigarette around his fingers. He made a sound of protest when Temari snatched it from him.

"No. There are no finer details," Naruto said. Why did his body feel tired and ached? His gaze fell on one scratch and found it healing. Ah yes… the fox demon's chakra was healing all his cuts taxing on his body's already poor endurance. He wanted to sag against his husband but decided that he would appear weak to his friends and he couldn't afford that.

"Naruto," Temari warned.

"It's just Kyuubi and his chakra. This is the fate of all jinchuuriki," he flinched as he used such degrading term and he looked at Neji apologetically as he continued, "And it's not something I can fight against."

Sai was about to open his mouth when the blonde sighed. "Look, can you guys just let it go? I'm already tired." He was tired from his work that day and the healing was making him more exhausted.

"Is it because…" Neji trailed off.

Kiba seemed to understand what Neji was about to say and looked horrified. "Shit! Naruto, I'm sorry. I didn't know.-"

"It's nothing," the blonde dismissed casually. "My endurance to his chakra decreases as my age increases. If you still haven't eaten dinner, feel free to use the kitchen and ransack the fridge. I'll lie down for awhile." Then he looked at Sakura. "You're probably mad at me but it's easier for me to sleep when my muscles are relaxed. Can you do that for me?"

Sakura nodded.

"It must be hard," Shikamaru muttered behind Sasuke as the rest went to the kitchen. _I'm sorry_, was the meaning behind his statement and the latter seemed to understand that.

The Uchiha leader shrugged. "I'm still trying to get use to it. Drinks are in the kitchen. You know where the liquors are." That was all he said before he went after his former teammates.

Naruto looked at Sakura and noticed the tears gathering on her eyes. He reached out to wipe them away. "Sakura," his voice was serious and his eyes were too lucid that it was scaring the medic-nin, "You're part of Team Seven. Kakashi-sensei is the logic and reason, the bastard and I are the brute strength-"

"Sasuke could be the logic and reason too but you always provoke him," Sakura interrupted, her chakra-application consistent although she wasn't emotionally stable.

The blonde chuckled but his seriousness was still there. "And you… you're the heart so as much as possible, we especially me, don't want to say anything that would hurt you. After all, Team Seven would be cold without its heart."

This time, tears streamed from stormy emerald eyes at those words. She couldn't stop them not when those words pierced through her heart… reached within her deeper than anything else.

"Team Seven would be weak without one of its strength too."

"I know but Team Seven is known for its resiliency, isn't it?" Naruto placed a hand on her arm. "Sakura, can you do me a lifetime favor?"

The woman shivered, reminding the time when she also asked her closest friend to do her a lifetime favor.

"What?" She croaked, knowing the favor had something to do with Sasuke.

"When I'm gone…" At this the medic-nin took a sharp breath. She wanted to cover her ears and make sounds to block out what her friend was saying. "I want you to look after the bastard. Y'know, make sure he won't do something stupid."

"Naruto, I…"

"Promise me, Sakura," he ordered desperately. He needed an assurance that Sasuke would be safe even after his death.

Between sobs, the woman did although her heart was as heavy as lead when she made that promise.

When Sasuke reached the master bedroom, Sakura had just stepped outside and was closing the door softly. She looked to her left and said quietly, "Sasuke-kun, about Naruto-"

"It's okay," Sasuke cut her off. "I'm counting on you when you become his doctor." He knew it would be soon because Tsunade was now too old to perform a lot of medications Naruto's body required. The only thing that kept the blond woman going was because of her protectiveness over her so-called brother. With that he entered the room.

"Hey," he greeted as he leaned against the closed door. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Naruto breathed sleepily. "But I feel bad that my illness is getting more attention than yours." He let out a soft chuckle.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Are you trying to compete here?"

"Just stating."　But his eyes told him he was definitely gloating. Their rivalry had never died. It always reared its head in every opportunity.

"Hn. Get some rest. I'll have dinner ready for you when you wake up." He waited for an acknowledgement but nothing came and he realized that his wife was already asleep. He sighed. "Usuratonkachi."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

When Kisho came home past nine in the evening, he saw his otousan in the family den reading a book, a steaming mug of coffee placed on the small table on his left. His heart slammed against his chest as he made his presence known. Behind his back, he clenched and unclenched his fists as if it would help his rattling nerves in calming down.

Sasuke looked up and arched an eyebrow as he noticed how tensed and stiff his son was walking. His curiosity was piqued when the blonde sat on the seat across him primly.

"I-," Kisho stopped realizing the shrillness of his voice. He cleared his throat while the older man marked the page where he left off and placed the book on his lap. Something told him that whatever Kisho was about to say must be really important. A lot of conclusions came to his mind like he impregnated one of his women but decided to hear his son first before making any reactions.

"I know your dream was to revive the clan and you're expecting us to repopulate it," Kisho started, trying not to choke the rest of the words. He stifled the urge to place a hand on his chest to stop his heart from beating too hard. "Aniki already had done his part. Miki did too despite her being a Hyuuga. I'm certain Akemi-nii is working on it. Everybody's doing it but I… I'm not…" At this he faltered and his voice became weaker until nothing came out from his mouth.

"There's no hurry," Sasuke assured him.

"No!" Kisho almost shouted and half-out of his seat. He settled back and took a deep breath before continuing. "I mean I can't."

"You won't settle down?"

"No." Why couldn't his otousan understand? Shouldn't parents have some radar to detect their children's wants and an X-ray to see all that were hidden?

Sasuke massaged the bridge of his nose. "Kisho," he said patiently for someone who hadn't eaten his dinner yet. "I don't know what you're talking about. Stop beating around the bush. Get straight to the point like you always do."

"I'm swinging that way!" He said even before he could think of a better way to announce his sexual preference. He wrung his hands seeing the unreadable expression on his otousan's face. If he could, he would bite his fingers as Sasuke blinked owlishly at him. He would have laughed at such expression if he wasn't so nervous.

"What?" Sasuke asked slowly, still trying to figure if this was a bad joke or something.

"I'm homosexual." There he said it. He hoped there was conviction and sincerity in his voice to make his announcement believable.

"Are you kidding me?" That statement was made out of disbelief, not of horror. Perhaps, things were not as bad as Kisho expected. "You practically slept with any female you fancied and now you're telling me this?" It wasn't as if he was keeping tabs on Kisho's sexual activity but word got around quickly not to mention news traveled too fast. "Do you expect me to believe this?"

"They were just games… distraction and consolation of what I couldn't have. Didn't you feel that way to chichiue?" Kisho looked hopeful. Surely, he and his old man had a common ground on this matter.

"No, I didn't." He had been so engrossed with power and revenge that he didn't realized his feelings for Naruto until he had exacted vengeance. When he had realized, he didn't seek consolation… he seek the blonde. He didn't settle for less. It was the blonde he needed and it was him he got.

Kisho sighed. The plan failed and-

"But that doesn't mean I don't understand your situation." He would understand because he was like him. He was like them.

Ebony eyes looked at him with relief and hope. "Does that mean you're going to help me break it to Chichiue?"

"Tell me what?" Naruto asked sleepily from the doorway. Kisho froze. He looked at his otousan, silently seeking or more like demanding for help. The older blonde didn't miss the SOS look. "What is going on?"

"N-nothing," Kisho answered too quickly.

A blond brow arched in disbelief. "Yeah and you're a homo," Naruto retorted casually, not noticing the reaction the other two had as he yawned.

"That he is," Sasuke stated.

"Huh? He is what?"

"Swinging that way; traveling the less-traveled road-"

"Meaning?"

"You're twice a dobe when you're still half-asleep," Sasuke commented, just as nervous as Kisho was because he knew how much Naruto was looking forward to see Kisho's children.

"Stop being a bastard and get on with it," he retorted impatiently.

"I'm with Makoto," Kisho said. He expected his chichiue to burst a vein in his anger, not holding his stomach as he laughed.

"That's a joke. A good-"

"He's not kidding, dobe."

That killed Naruto's laughter and silence echoed over the whole place.

"You're not kidding?" Naruto asked a minute later. "But didn't you sleep with those women?"

"But that didn't mean I'm not in love with Makoto," he replied. "I didn't know that the coffee-freak would-"

"Love you back," his chichiue finished for him, making him blush.

"I know I won't be able to sire children like you so do Makoto but will you please accept this fact?" Kisho almost pleaded. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for the clan but please let me be happy."

"You're not obliged to do anything for the clan or for us," Sasuke said, "so you can do anything you want."

Happiness replaced the guilt-stricken look on Kisho's face as he heard those words. "Thank you," he said and he would have kissed his otousan's feet if he had too. He looked at his chichiue. "I-"

Naruto smiled and nodded in understanding. "But," he added as an afterthought, his eyes dancing in mischief, "You have to tell me how you manage to snatch that I-want-to-be-celibate Makoto."

"Nothing interesting," he said. He didn't want to remember what a fool he was. How he became a pawn of Akemi.

"But your blush tells me otherwise." He was about to coax his youngest child when his stomach reminded him that he was still hungry. "Let's talk this over supper." He tugged the stubborn Kisho to the dining room, feeling excited to hear everything except if they did it, where and how.

Sasuke sighed. He didn't want to hear it but he was hungry too.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Kisho stared at the ceiling above his bed, still surprised that his parents accepted it so calmly. He took a deep breath. He couldn't wait to tell Makoto the good news the next day. He turned to his side and his gaze accidentally landed on a family picture and reminded him that he still had to settle things with Akemi.

But his revenge could wait, not because Akemi was still on his honeymoon trip but because revenge served cold was better. He couldn't wait to see Akemi's and Chie's reaction when they learn that one of their children would become as pervert as he was. And he dreamed about ways on how to make one of his nephews/nieces become the connoisseur of perversion and pleasure.

Definitely, revenge was sweeter when served cold and in a gold platter.

**TBC**

* * *

I know this chapter lacked violence but it is so hard for them to attack someone who was close to dying. I think that is more realistic than have them beat Naruto up for keeping a secret.

Next chapter: Before Sasuke could move away, the flame engulfed him and in a split second he was burning.


	87. 二人きり

I think I'm in a roll, right now.

A light chapter for everyone to enjoy. If you squint enough, you'll realized its not PWP kind of a chapter. There is a reason for this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 87: The two of us**

Heat. Unbearable and entrancing.

That was what he felt and despite his mind's warning, he zealously went to the source of heat as single-mindedly as he had search for power. When he reached it, his eyes widened at the beauty of the furnace. It was blue streamed with gold lining. He stepped back instinctively as fire shot out to grab him and the scream of horror that jumped to his throat and ready to shatter the utter silence came as a moan. The fringes of fire were caressing him in a familiar way. Every erogenous spot of his were attack seductively and teasingly until all he could do was strain against the fire that was engulfing and claiming him.

And oh God! He let out a rich moan as the unbearable heat claimed his weeping penis and his mind which had warned him was now demanding for more. Everything was hot and burning. Every nerve of his body was being short-circuited and his fiber being singed as the fire teased him to overheat. And once he did, he came.

When Sasuke opened his eyes after his orgasm, he saw the ceiling of his room.

It was only a dream, he realized. A wet dream.

Before his brain would register how wet and sticky his body and that his kimono was parted open, Naruto entered his vision. His mind eagerly pointed out that drops of white liquid were staining the flushed tanned face.

Naruto had sucked him off while sleeping and the blonde was licking the traces of his crime from his fingers and lips. He gave a fox grin. "Happy Birthday, Sasuke-bastard," he greeted, please with himself that he had given the bastard his orgasm as the clock strike midnight. It was a very good way in welcoming the special day.

Sasuke was thinking of that premise too. He smirked and pulled Naruto for a blood-stirring kiss. He smoothly flipped them over so he would be on top. It wasn't he wanted to dominate and control but because he wanted to ravish his wife just as latter did him.

The blonde placed a hand against his spouse's chest to stop him when all he wanted was for that sexy mouth to leave possessive marks on any part of his body. "Let me, bastard," he said grinning. He inclined forward to whisper sensuously before laving one ear languidly.

"Just lie down and feel special, birthday boy."

That statement was like lava flowing through the dark-haired man's veins and was gathering at his lower abdomen. He let himself be pushed on his back, his breath hitching when his half-erect shaft brushed against one perfectly shaped tanned leg.

"Naruto," he breathed making the blonde shudder because the latter knew that his name carried a lot of meanings both affectionate and kinky.

Inch by inch, Naruto greedily tasted Sasuke again. His teeth left marks while his mouth left wet trails. His hands were everywhere, deliberately touching and teasingly groping and the other man was wild with lust.

Sasuke moaned in protest when his wife stopped sucking his left nipple. The blonde was definitely driving him insane. One moment, he'd successfully drowned him with pleasure and then the next deprived him letting him starve for few seconds before drowning him again.

"Dobe," he said, his voice raspy with desire. He reached out to return the pleasure but Naruto had refused again. His wife had only allowed him to divest his clothes other than that, he wasn't allowed to participate causing his hands to ache to touch.

He bucked as he felt his wife's tongue on his navel, circling around it once... twice... thrice before plunging into it. At that moment, Sasuke saw lights decorating the edges of his vision. He wanted to be buried into that body that languidly moved over him, brushing their skin as much as possible.

Undeniably, Naruto's blood was simmering seeing how much needy and responsive Sasuke was. Lustful blue eyes gazed down to see his spouse's erection weeping for attention. It was so hard and erect that it looked painful. His ring of muscles tightened not out of fear but in anticipation for that moment when that would be rammed into him. Just the thought of that made him harder. In trance, he leaned down and rubbed his cheek against the base, coarse hair brushing his skin. Above him, his partner let out an expletive word at that action. Naruto really loved surprising his man especially in bed.

As if having Sasuke moan and writhe wasn't enough, the blonde kissed both of his inner thighs before tracing a blazing path awakening thousands of raw nerves.

"Dobe," Sasuke murmured. He was aching with his want for his blond courtesan. He let a toe brushed against Naruto's spinal cord oh-so-softly and in feather-like caress. For the first time since his sweet torture started, his gaze met and held Naruto's. And everything that was brewing on blue orbs was reflected on his own.

"Please," he whispered, the syllables coming out from his heated lips in puffs. His body trembled when the blonde moved over him slowly letting him noticed the bunching of his sinewy muscles. Sasuke licked his dry lips. He wanted to do a lot of things to Naruto at that moment but knew he had to wait for his turn because the current activity was choreographed by the blonde and he didn't want to be a party-pooper.

Naruto planted both arms of either of Sasuke's torso to support half of his weight as he partly straddled the man beneath him. Both men gasped as his crotch deliciously pressed against Sasuke's penis. He could feel the searing heat from the hard flesh coming off in waves, clawing through him and causing him to slide forward.

He felt Sasuke's erection more than heard the grunt coming from those abused and wet lips as he continued rubbing against him forward... backward... back and forth.

Unable to move the same direction as his dobe, he jerked his hips upward. He wanted more of that maddening and smooth contact. He wished he didn't open his eyes and a very mind-shattering image of his wife- face distorted with desire and control, eyes closed and lips parted so he could breath, saliva trickling. Sasuke gulped while his fingers started playing with pert and rosy nipples. He pressed, pinched and tugged them anything to make Naruto shatter, loving the muscles of tanned legs tensing. With half-smirk, he let one hand moved downward and thumbed the tip, spreading the precum around the area.

Naruto let out a moan. He trembled as he felt the penis below him spurting another ribbon of precum making it more slippery. He wanted that length to be buried inside him. He wanted it inside in but he couldn't stop moving. His hips couldn't and the pleasure he was receiving made him unable to stop such movement. He had planned things to be a torture to his husband but he too was suffering.

"Sasuke," he breathed as he opened his eyes. It took three more times before the other man heard and responded to him.

"Hm?" was the husky reply.

"Stop," he grunted.

"Hm?" Words were difficult to register in his pleasure-daze mind.

"Help me stop." There was now desperation in his voice.

"W-why?"

"I... you..." Coherency abandoned his mind completely and cruelly. "Deep inside me."

Sasuke somehow understood as his hands moved to grip tanned hands moving frantically. His hands tightened leaving marks on tanned skin just to control the movement.

He didn't miss the unmistakable sigh from Naruto. He smirked and commented, "You couldn't even maintain control to the end."

Naruto's glare lost its intensity at the lust in his eyes. "Shut up and get inside me."

Sasuke ran his tongue over his lips. He thrust upward just as Naruto plunge downward. The sound of his balls slapping against Naruto's butt cheeks was muted by the dark moans that exploded from their chest.

The two didn't lose a moment to start moving against each other, establishing a rhythm that made them lose their breath at the harshness and intensity of each thrust and of each collision.

A pale hand gripped Nartuo's erection stopping him from coming. He glared at Sasuke who shook his head and said, " not yet… don't come yet." Understanding dawned on desired-filled blue eyes and he nodded. Both of them stop moving, each wanting to last longer… to drag this as far as their libidos' endurance could bear. When the ribbons of orgasm loosened around their tensed and flushed bodies they started moving again, straining against each other, shoving each other closer to the edge. And when there was just one nudge left for them to fall, they would stop again, letting the waves of orgasm recede farther and farther until they could breath and resume their frantic and frenzy movements.

They did it few times, each time their journey to the edge became shorter and shorter until neither of them could stand it longer.

"Nng… Sasu," Naruto called out between pants, few hair strands bobbing up and down at his furious riding of Sasuke's hips. "I can't… stop… anymore."

Sasuke opened one eye and sucked in a deep breath just so he could speak. "Don't… mmm… because I can't too… Naru… I'm… letting… nggh… goh." And he did. He pushed Naruto who was caught off guard, to his back changing their positions.

But the blonde didn't mind. He automatically wrapped both his legs around pale back, his heels digging, pulling him closer. Their mouths meshed together. One tanned hand laid against pale nape.

Sasuke wrapped an arm around Naruto's waist while his other hand was entwined and pressed against the blonde's hand on the bed, completing another link, finishing the connection of their body.

Their screams as they reached their peak were muffled by their mouths and they continued moving, riding their orgasm as their body convulsed.

**-SasuNaru is love- **

Sasuke buried his face deeper into his pillow trying to shield his eyes from the light spilling into the bed.

_Light? Oh shit!_

He bolted to a sitting position, unmindful the protests made by few of his muscles. His eyes darted to the side table clock that read 8:28. He cursed as he hurriedly left for the bathroom. He and Naruto had made love until daybreak when the latter had to leave for work. It was then did his body cool off and seeing that he still had time before he would leave for his mission, he decided to take a nap not sleep but contentment and exhaustion made him do the latter.

Using his maximum speed, Sasuke managed to arrive at his client's place- a small cabin, just in time. He knocked on the door few times but nobody answered. He tried the knob and learned that it was unlock. He turned it and quietly stepped inside, his muscles tensed at the morbid scenarios his paranoia was making.

At his left, he noticed a candlelight dinner for two. He frowned. Did he get the wrong room? He took out his mission scroll then walked to the porch to confirm that he didn't make any mistake. No, definitely not. He got it right. He briefly wondered what services his client want from him. The liaison officer on duty looked apologetic, unable to specify what service. Sasuke hoped it wasn't anything similar to his mission long time ago where he had to act as the client's dead husband.

Before he himself could even register, his hands gripped the ones reaching behind him; grappled their owner and threw his attacker to the other side of the porch. He drew a kunai, lunged forward then stopped mid-step.

"Dobe?"

An upside-down Naruto glared at him. He righted himself then massaged his aching shoulders. "Is that how you greet your clients?"

"No client is stupid enough to sneak behind me," he replied. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Konoha buried with paperwork?"

"Why did I put few extra hours of work lately?"

"So you're my client?" he stated more than ask as he leaned against the ledge, his arms crossed over his chest in arrogance.

The blonde shrugged. "More or less, yeah." He regarded his preparation. So did Sasuke.

"Candle-light dinner around eleven in the morning? This is your most stupid idea."

Naruto created few clones who immediately pulled the thick curtains over the windows while another lighted the candles. The blonde arched an eyebrow, daring the other men to make a remark.

"I'm impressed," Sasuke quipped sarcastically.

"You're really a master in ruining the mood," was the curt comeback. He took a seat on the table. He had spent a lot of effort and time in preparing things so he'd damned if he won't eat what he prepared even it wasn't appreciated.

Sasuke shrugged and followed suit. He was hungry after all he hadn't eaten breakfast yet. The moment he had a slice of the sautéed pork, he melted right away. It was good and not because he was hungry as a bear.

"Delicious," he commented, unconsciously making the blonde's mood light. Naruto smiled and nodded.

It took them a long time to finish a simple meal when their conversation ricocheted between verbal battle and light discussion.

It was difficult to concentrate in the conversation when their legs purposely brushed against each other's; when seductive and lingering looks were thrown casually and innocently. It was even more difficult to concentrate when a big part of their attention was on the other's tongue that suggestively brushed against the chopstick as if...

But despite the distractions, they managed to finish their meal without either of them grabbing the other; sweeping the food off the table and use the furniture for a more pleasurable purpose.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke glared harder, surpassing the intensity of Naruto's glare by a notch. There was no way he was going to lose this argument even if that sharp glare would turn into a puppy look. That blasted look was what had gotten him to let the blonde buy an orange table cloth. But he swore not to commit the same mistake especially when it had something to do with an orange shirt.

"I wear your colors so why won't you wear mine?" Naruto asked while holding the shirt for his spouse.

"It's just a matter of principle," Sasuke replied.

"I swear it'll look good on you. It'll bring out your fair complexion."

"I don't care. Just don't buy me that hideous thing." With that said, he walked away smoothly for someone who had few big shopping bags on both hands.

Naruto made a face at the retreating back before taking the shirt to the cashier. He didn't need Sasuke to fit it anyway because his knowledge of the man's body told him the size he picked was perfect for him.

"I'm gonna make him wear it," he muttered in determination.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Sasuke almost stumbled when Naruto slung an arm over his shoulders in camaraderie the moment the latter caught up with him. The dark-haired man glared.

"Lighten up, bastard," Naruto growled behind his smiling face. "I brought you here so you could have fun and brood over the number of white hairs you have."

"And you assumed that there is fun in carrying shopping bags?" Sasuke shot back. He could think of a lot of fun things they could do together without shopping bags involved.

"You offered." Of course, the blonde was right. He had offered but he didn't know that the dobe would have a shopping spree in a sale bazaar and had him carry all he bought.

Naruto looked at him thoughtfully. "Funny. You're twice the bastard today." But there was confusion and hurt hovering over the fringes of blue orbs and Sasuke would have notice it if a sharp melodious sound didn't reach his ears.

He whirled around and followed that familiar and almost long-forgotten sound. He left and was gone in the sea of people even before Naruto could register the former's movements.

The blonde sighed, not knowing what to make of his spouse's sudden departure. He took a seat on a rock and waited, hoping that the bastard remembered he had a companion he abandoned.

Time dragged slowly as Naruto strangers come and ago. Tired of waiting but still hopeful, Naruto tuned himself out from what was going on. He stared at the sky, watching clouds fleeted by. He hated how the day was turning out. He didn't understand why Sasuke was annoyed or why he was in a bad mood.

Somewhere... far, far away he heard something that was akin to jingling sound. He shrugged it off until the sound was blaring into his ears. He snapped his head to the side, trash talk already at the tip of his tongue. But it melted the second he realized it was Sasuke whose mood had obviously and miraculously improved and who was holding a wind chime.

"I always wanted to have one of this," Sasuke commented with a strange fondness while he gently shook the thing.

Naruto moved to inspect closer the object of Sasuke's fondness. The wind chime was just five cylindrical metals polished. Three of which were bent to a spiral. All of them were surrounding a short string of metallic beads. He didn't see anything special about it. He crossed his arms over his chest and dragged a thoughtful 'hmm' from his lips.

"Do you know each of them was created to produce different sound? But sometimes, it can't be help that there are others which have similar ones," the dark-haired man stated.

"So?"

"Back at Sound, I have a wind chime and this," he shook the object again, "has a sound similar to that."

"I didn't know you had a fond memory at that snake hole," Naruto stated, ignoring the tug on his heart.

"I hadn't," was the casual reply. He didn't have. Orochimaru made him train so hard and Kabuto made sure his daily regimen was gruelling. What little time he had for himself he spent it brooding and getting angsty in the heavy silence and darkness of his room. Many times, he would have been engulfed by his dark thoughts if not for the wind chime which he had bought on impulse. He had hung the object at the sole window of his room where it would make a sound when the wind caressed it and the same time reflected the sunlight or the moonlight. It was its sound and the light it reflected that pulled him to reality and that saved him from insanity. However, in a fit of rage, the snake bastard had destroyed it accidentally or so he claimed. That was the end of his ray of serenity and the next week, Orochimaru was no more.

Sasuke stared at the wind chime for few seconds before saying, "let's have fun."

The blonde produced three clones to carry their purchases back to the cabin. He stretched his body. "Let's have your way of fun."

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Minutes later, the two were at the carnival, trying games and competing against each other. When Naruto played to catch goldfish, Sasuke crouched and played the game as well, trying to have more fishes than the blonde. When it comes to competing, the place, the atmosphere or the expenses didn't matter to them. It was all about the adrenaline pumping through their veins and the excitement.

Sasuke gave his companion his full-blown smirk as he won another game.

"You better start winning, dobe," he said with so much arrogance that it irritated the blonde. The latter was leading but with the former winning consecutively, it wouldn't be soon that he would catch up. Sasuke was confident that he would.

"You won't catch up, bastard!"

The dark-haired man just arched an eyebrow before dragging the blonde to the archery booth.

And for shinobis whose aim was perfect, their arrows were always out of range. It was humiliation and in silent agreement, they decided to stay until they could hit the target.

Slowly, their muscles got the hang of the basic dynamics of archery and they were landing the arrows within range. However, it wasn't until eighty minutes later did Sasuke managed to hit bull's eye much to the relief of the booth master. Now, if the blonde could do the same then they might leave instead of hogging one of the target areas.

Naruto aimed; took a deep breath and let go of the string.

Sasuke's smirk disappeared and his composure slipped when Naruto's arrow pierced through his, splitting it into two before hitting the bull's eye.

"Ha! Saw that?" Naruto asked proudly and gleefully. "I'm the man."

The other man rolled his eyes while he picked up the broken pieces of his composure and put them back together. "It's just beginner's luck." He stood up, grabbed his bow.

His arrow quivered as its sharp tip embedded into the thick wood sharply. And just like before, his was split into two by Naruto's arrow, proving that it wasn't a fluke or beginner's luck.

"So what do you think, bastard?"

"Hn." And he whisked Naruto to another game before the latter could comment.

The two hadn't stop playing until their stomachs had complained. By then, Sasuke was leading by one win and claimed victory although it was hard-fought. Naruto let him because it was the bastard's birthday. But if the man would continue to gloat and arrogantly flaunt, he could say that he allowed him to win as a birthday present. Yeah, he could do that.

With excitement and mischief still in their blood, they decided to have dinner at a fastfood that stood out from the block with its thousands of flashing lights. Their food from appetizers to drinks all had names that had something to do with astronomy but it didn't stop them from ordering what caught their fancy.

When they stepped out from the bizarre but cool place, it was already raining, prompting Sasuke to buy an umbrella good for.

"I never had this so much fun," the blonde quipped as he half-skipped, half-walked. This was his best date with Sasuke ever.

"Hn." But Sasuke was also thing that today was the best day ever. There was nothing to worry about. It was definitely a break from the hassles of his life. It was just him and Naruto. Sasuke and him. It was just the two of them in this village that never stopped celebrating one festival after another.

Naruto whirled around, walking backwards. He arched an eyebrow when Sasuke closed the distance between. But he understood the intent when he looked up and glanced at smoky black orbs.

"Not here," he whispered but had tilted his head back. "People will see."

"Let them," the other replied in a deep seductive voice.

The blonde reached out to grab the umbrella that his companion was willing to let go in exchange of his body. He dipped it down, covering their meshing mouths. As the kiss deepened and becoming more demanding and their bodies moved closer, he let go of the umbrella and pulled Sasuke's head lower. He wanted more. "Sasuke," he breathed against wet lips. He shivered more from the man's light touches rather than the rain drops.

Sasuke hissed as the cool rain touch his heated skin. "Naruto..."

Raising smoky blue eyes, the blonde simply stated, "I want more."

And with that, Sasuke pushed him into a poorly lit alley behind some closed drugstore, leaving their umbrella to dance with the breeze.

Naruto threw his head back as Sasuke traced his collarbone with the tip of his tongue. He leaned forward, pressing wet kisses against creamy nape and drinking the rainwater spilled on his skin.

"Sasuke," he breathed after every kisses. Straight ahead, he noticed a cat staring at them with curiosity brimming from its glowing eyes. Naruto smiled, flaunting to the animal the perfect prey he had. He never broke his gaze away from the stray cat's eyes as he lapped the pale column.

Mimicking the blonde's action, Sasuke peeled the kimono apart. He bucked against the other man as he was pinned to the cold wall harder. A groan was ripped from their throat as their still-covered erection rubbed together.

"Naruto," the Uchiha leader murmured as one hand blindly traced his seal in familiarity while his other hand traced tanned skin just above his boxers before it took out the blonde's erection.

Naruto wrenched his mouth from his spouse's to pant heavily at the sensation brought on by having a pale hand closed around his heated flesh while water fell on it. He placed a hand on the man's left shoulder trying to seek support of his balance from the same person who was destroying it. He let the fingers of his other hand glide over the hard and smooth planes of pale chest and stomach making Sasuke burn more.

The dark-haired man thought he heard sizzling sound as each water drop hit his burning skin. He moaned when a warm hand wrapped around his hard-on and brought it out.Naruto stepped closer and Sasuke leaned his head against his, their breaths mingled in big puffs of air. Their eyes full of desire met and simultaneously looked down to watch their hands worrying over each other's penis while their hips moved slowly and discretely. It was definitely an erotic sight and it sent more blood to their groin.

Coincidentally, they thrust into the other's hand simultaneously and for every push, the tip of their dick kissed and their precum mixed.

"Sasuke..." Naruto panted.

"Hm?" He was trying to maintain logic or a semblance of it. Naruto seductively tugged an ear. "More..." He wanted more of what he received... he wanted more of Sasuke because he was beyond intoxicated. He was addicted and obsessed. It didn't surprise him when Sasuke roughly reversed their position. A hand slipped inside his boxers and touched his heated and puckered hole. Still touching his bastard, he yanked his boxers down.

Sasuke gently yet urgently guided his left sun-kissed thigh to wrap around his waist, exposing more of the blonde's hole to his fingers' probing. He hissed as the muscles clenched and unclenched around his fingers.

"Dobe," he growled. He was so close to burning that he couldn't wait.

Their eyes met and a message was sent and acknowledged. In precise moment, Naruto hopped and wrapped his other leg at the same time Sasuke pushed him to the wall. Naruto cried out in pain as something pierced into his back just near his right shoulder blade.

"Fuck! I think I'm bleeding."

No sooner had he stated it, a wisp of coppery scent teased their nostrils. The blonde pulled away while Sasuke peered to see what had hurt the dobe. It was a shard of glass stuck between one particular crack on the wall. His fingers caressed the healing wound and brought his blood-stained limbs.

Naruto gulped loudly watching almost in trance as a tongue darted out to nimbly lick the digits clean. "Sasuke," he growled before he fisted dark locks and meshed their lips together, sharing the iron taste.

Sasuke dragged his fingers downward in a slow manner to let the blonde feel and guess where they were heading. He took the kunai strapped against one of Naruto's thighs to chip the glass making the surface smooth. He ran the weapon over the area before letting a finger follow just to make sure of its smoothness. Satisfied, he used the blunt edge of the kunai to tease his spouse. He let it glide over heated and sensitive skin. Cool against heat. Hard against smooth. Perfect contrast.

Sasuke trembled at the knowledge on how easy it would be to plunge the sharp object into the idiot and to wound him and see him bleed. It was so easy it was tempting at the same sickening. He dropped the kunai at point blank and deepened their unending dark kisses.

Without a proper warning but just a hitch of his breath in anticipation, Sasuke plunged into him. His back arched against the wall and his eye rolled as he was conquered and branded once more. It was as if a kunai had pierced into him- hard, sudden and efficient but the pain he felt at the moment was sweet.

Sasuke didn't pause to make him breath. He let Naruto adjust with the intrusion between powerful thrusts because he couldn't wait anymore. He wanted the sky and sun beneath him, above him and around him, writhing with the pleasure he created and quivering to his touches.

"Yes," Naruto breathed wantonly against an ear. "Yes, Sasuke. Nngh… Yesss." It was a pity that the voyeuristic cat was no longer there. If it wasn't such a wimp after hearing his scream and stayed, he would have seen how wanton he could be... how animalistic he could be. He clawed the pale back with his well-trimmed nails while he left marks on shoulders.

Everything Naruto did and say fueled the Uchiha leader... bestowed upon him a strong drive until he was as lost as Naruto in their storm of passion and became nothing but a mass of deep and powerful thrusts.

Naruto shook his head trying to fight the pleasure-induced sanity shrouding his mind. He wanted to think... to decide what pace he wanted but his effort was in vain. He submitted and it didn't matter to him what the pace was as long as Sasuke was in him throbbing and buried deep.

Sasuke watched those blue eyes that were shrouded and flickering before they were veiled. He gasped as the blonde gave him a crushing embrace.

"G-God, Sasu... I w-want you in bed...Bed..."

"M-me too." Although doing it against the wall was kinky, movements were difficult. On the other hand, a bed never restricts them. "But I can't... technique too difficult." It was damn hard to perform a basic chuunin-level teleportation technique when one was pistoning in and out of a very pliant body and Sasuke knew that the most.

Each arrow of sensation that pierced his oversensitive overheating nerves was bright, sharp and distinct and he trembled with more. He swung one tanned leg over his shoulder and pressed Naruto more against the wall to keep him in place. Each thrust were harder than the previous one and the momentum he gained every time he pulled back increased.

Thrust...ground...pull out.

That was their loop of action and everything spun in sweet dizziness until everything became a blur then became one big smudges of colors then finally monochrome before black was gone. There was white and the world tilted and spilled them over.

They laid their head on each other's shoulders as they tried to get their composure back and even out their breathing. The silence was replaced by buzzing sounds before ordinary noises around them reached their ears.

After a long moment, Sasuke pulled from Naruto while he slowly let go of tanned legs. But he still had his arms wrapped around the blonde. He won't let go until the latter was sure he could stand up on his own.

The blond man took a deep breath trying to harden his bones which had turned into jelly before melting. Slowly, he let go of Sasuke's shoulders sending a clear message that he could now stand properly.

The Uchiha leader put a distance between them as they quietly righted their clothes. He was the first one to finish and he watched as his dobe trying to get the task done with trembling fingers. When his wife completed such simple job, he was taken aback by a bright and warm smile, giving him the feeling that it wasn't raining at all.

"Naruto…" he whispered, his eyes almost half-closed.

The blonde held out a hand to stop the advancing man. "Wait… just lemme clear out the lust from my head before we can start again."

Sasuke smirked before picking up the abandoned kunai and strapped it back to the blonde's thigh slowly.

"Sasuke," he murmured almost breathlessly. "Don't be naughty." Surprisingly, his husband stepped away.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

Seeing that it was useless to carry an umbrella when they were already wet, they gave it to the first person they saw before strutting away as if it wasn't raining hard.

Blue eyes scanned to their left where the beating of the drum came from. He saw silhouettes moving… dancing in the streets under the pouring rain and suddenly he wanted to do that too. He tugged Sasuke's hand before pulling him towards the area.

The beat was lively and foreign to their ears. It was obvious that the sound was foreign judging by the instruments and the people playing it. But it was nice to the ears, captivating and seductive.

It was flowing through Naruto's body like liquid fire until his heart was beating in tune with the beat and before he knew it he was moving with the sounds. He suddenly couldn't stop moving… his body was moving according to the dictates of the musical instruments. He felt light, sexy, hot and wet. He turned around to drape his arms over the still unaffected Sasuke.

"Dance, Sasuke," he murmured before taking a nip on a smooth lower lip. "Dance." He turned around again to press himself against his spouse, pushing one leg between his at the same time straddling one left thigh. He rubbed himself against the limb, making him feel more erotic. "Sasuke…" he breathed and he was shivering in hotness.

Sasuke gulped. Naruto's movements were affecting him more than the erotic beat and before he knew it, he had his hands on the man's hips. "Dobe, you don't know how to sing much less dance."

"But my voice put our children to sleep, b-bastard." He ground his groin against the thigh making Sasuke's eyelids fall half-mast. "But teach me, Sa-Sasuke," he whispered between tugs on one sensitive earlobe, "teach me just as you taught me how to make love."

The Uchiha leader scoffed. "No, we'll learn together, dobe." And the words melted as they moved together, immediately falling in sync.

A pale arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer and Sasuke leaned forward to slightly dip his blonde and pressed his tongue against the still-clothed nipple. The world was slowly receding until it was just them, their heat, the rain and the beat… their beat.

One of the musicians smiled, seeing the couple dancing wantonly and passionately. He felt pride bloomed in his heart. It seemed the new couple had immediately grasped the meaning behind their music. It was all about love… hidden, unconditional and all-consuming. It was immersing oneself into that strongest emotion that breathed life and gave color to everything. His eyes never left them, touched by their show of their feelings with careless abandon. Ah true love.

"Don't look at them right away," one man dancing with his girlfriend whispered. "There's a homosexual couple who joined just a minute ago and it's…"

The lady whirled and her eyes widened. They were not only homosexuals but looked like they were in their late 50's. What were these old horny men doing here? The two were disgusted but in the eyes of another couple the display was sweet.

The couple sighed and the woman blushed when the blonde tilted his head back offering more access.

"Do you think we'll have that kind of romance even at that age?" she asked to her husband. The man looked again. Every movement made by the old couple was graceful with a slightly rough. It was as if everything they did with each other at that moment was a testament to their victories against the hurdles life had given them so far and a proof of their strength together. It was obvious that to them the other person was the embodiment of all the things they prayed, hoped, wished and desired. Seeing them moved together was heart-warming.

_That couple… how much do they love each other? Is it possible to feel that way without going insane? Without being obsessed?_

He smiled down at his wife, "Let's work hard for it." And he bent down to kiss her. As he drifted towards the sweetness their kisses always led him, a distant cry of "Get a room" rung cruelly.

The cry directed at the Uchiha couple snapped them from their daze and looked around. Few couples were looking at them with different emotions and if their mind was functioning fully they'd be able to name them as disgust, envy, amusement, admiration and awe.

Naruto smiled and placed a hand on the back of his head. "I didn't know you guys are there," he casually replied. He clasped his hand with Sasuke's and as they turned around to leave, they could swear the musicians winked and tilted their heads as if in honor.

Amidst the sounds, the wind carried Naruto's laughter over the place- warm and full of love for his handsome companion.

**TBC**

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**Umm... You guys still alive? Or do you need blood transfusion? I can only give you lemon juice transfusion. Yummy.**


	88. 永遠に。。。

**Hello. Anyway, enjoy this chapter.**

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**Chapter 88: Undefeated**

"Reiji arrived earlier," Rui- Akemi's and Chie's first child, insisted to the other team composed of Ryota, Shunya and Atsuko. She looked at them through her aristocratic nose with an arrogance born within the Uchiha and Chie's blood.

Shunya looked at them just as arrogantly. He was the second child of Miki and surprisingly the strongest among her children. While Amaterasu and Reiji- their youngest child- had an unstable chakra causing them seal the Sharingan, Shunya was different. His chakra was consistent throughout his childhood years and he showed a great possibility that he could master both the Byakugan and Sharingan. And the Hyuuga elders gloat with the fact that a person who could be the most powerful that ever lived existed in their clan.

"No, Shunya did therefore we won," Ryota who was the third child of Akemi, stubbornly argued back. The other team bristled.

They looked at their blond grandfather who was standing at the porch, waiting for his judge as their referee. Naruto rubbed the back of his head while giving them a toothy sheepish smile.

"Ah I got distracted and I miss the tie-break."

The six youngsters rolled their eyes and snapped their head back to their opponents and continued arguing and defending their opinion, neither of the group backing out.

A vein twitched on Sasuke's forehead at the din. He didn't like it when he was disturbed from his nap that he usually took at the bench situated in the porch. He was about to scold them when a voice beat him to it.

"ENOUGH!"

The two groups looked at the person who dared to intrude their discussion.

"Can't you guys act someone at your age rather than as bickering children?" the 26-year-old Haruo said. He was exasperated at their childishness. "What's the prize this time?"

"The losers will treat the winners to the newly-opened onsen at the next village," Toshiya- Akemi's second child explained.

"How foolish can you get?"

That statement earned him six glares but it didn't faze him.

"Start from the scratch rather than fighting who won," Haruo continued before he left them to walk to the porch. He nodded to Sasuke before approaching his other grandfather.

"Grandpa, you make a poor referee, y'know."

Naruto pouted. "I was distracted. I noticed that Fuurin's nose is longer than it should be," he said, pointing to the Nanadaime's face being sculpted on the Hokage Mountain beside his.

Naruto had retired five years ago. When he announced that to the council his retirement, he also announced his successor- Fuurin. But the council members wanted Yuuzuki. But the young man who was now the Uchiha leader for five years and counting had declined. His reason was simple: the work was too much. Being the leader of a clan was enough especially when he had to look after a very mischievous Harou, a cunning-to-the-point-of-being-sadistic Yuuhi and accident-prone Akihito. In addition, he had to look after his two brothers who were always at each other's throat. Of course, not physically but their conversations which were natural, polite and friendly to an outsider were really , to a trained ear, well-veiled threats made in a creepy but friendly manner and Yuuzuki was worried that the two would carry out those threats. He swore that Akemi and Kisho were like explosion tags just waiting to explode. No matter how hard the council tried to convince him, Yuuzuki had been firm with his answer.

The next candidate was Hisayuki but the man had also declined because like Yuuzuki, his role as the Hyuuga leader was too demanding to think about being responsible for the entire village. So in the end, Fuurin was chosen. Although displeased that he was the council's third candidate, he accepted the role. And because secretly he was a fan of the Rokudaime, he made sure to continue the previous hokage's projects he deemed perfect in his reign at the same time create his own. So far, Fuurin was doing well as the Nanadaime.

Haruo took a moment to look at the work. "The sculptor isn't finish yet. There are still finishing touches."

"You think so?"

He chucked at the man's innocence. "I'm certain."

"Hey bastard," Naruto said, "Don't you think Yuuzuki became younger than the last time?"

Sasuke snorted. "Dobe, that was Haruo not Yuuzuki."

"You sure?"

"My eyesight might be nil but my hearing is very perfect and I say that's Harou's voice."

Naruto was about to retort something when Reiji shouted. "We're going to the compound's lake." The blonde leaned over the ledge of the porch to shoot, "No funny games. Your parents want you all to return by six in the evening."

"Yeah… yeah," they all chorused before they disappeared. The blonde continued leaning over, loving the smell that the wind carried. It was the smell of the Sandaime, Jiraiya, Tsunade and of something else which his heart whispered that it was the scent of his father. The wind carried the scent of leaves and fire and it was addicting.

"Dobe, lean more and you'll fall down," Sasuke warned, snapping the blonde from his daze.

"I know, bastard," he shot back.

Sasuke turned his head to look at Naruto. And even though all he could see were blurs as if everything was hidden behind mist, he knew Naruto was smiling. Every time he looked at his wife, it was his heart that was looking not his eyes.

He retired from his work and from his position as an Uchiha leader five years ago when his eyesight's deterioration had become fast. That had been the reason why Naruto retired as well three months later. With his retirement as the leader, Yuuzuki as he promised, had transferred his family's residence to the manor house and lived together with them. And their former house was now being occupied by Haruo who had married a year ago.

"Getting excited, are we?" came a voice.

"Kisho! When did you arrive? I thought you won't be able to come home." Sasuke said.

"And miss your 50th wedding anniversary?" Kisho retorted. "I arrived last night and then me and Mako-chan had fun until dawn."

His otousan rolled his eyes.

"When are you getting married?" Naruto asked. His son and Makoto had been living together for almost 15 years at the house near Haruo's place but neither of them seemed willing to make their relationship official.

The younger blonde waved his hand casually. "Kazushi and Shigure aren't married but they acted like one so I don't see any reason for us to get married. Makoto shared my opinion." But unlike their two friends, he and his lover didn't adopt a child. With the demands of their work, it was too hard to look after a child. Hell, they even had no time to see each other. Besides, with the nieces and nephews they have, who needs adoption? He reached a hand to place a flower on behind Naruto's left ear. "Beside," he murmured sweetly making Sasuke tensed in response, "the person I want to marry is already married." He laughed when he heard a growl coming from his otousan's throat.

"Kidding… besides it wasn't I who made a promise with you but Akemi." He was referring to that time when his brother, who had been a child, had sworn to take their chichiue away from their otousan when the latter would hurt the blonde.

"What promise?" Naruto asked, looking at them back and forth.

"Sorry… only among men." Kisho leaned back to dodge the blonde's quick kick.

"I'm a man."

Their son was about to retort when Sasuke said, "Kisho, you don't want me to burn your ultimate collection of Icha Icha paradise, do you? Or I could ask Akemi to do it for chichiue?"

That shut the younger blonde up. "Okay, I'm off to help the wedding preparations." And with that, he entered the house.

Naruto chuckled and sat beside his husband. "Are you nervous?" he asked quietly.

"Of what?"

"For our golden anniversary wedding."

"Hn."

Naruto leaned back on the bench knowing that Sasuke was also nervous. Although it was just a commemoration event of their wedding, it felt like it was the first time. They were going to exchange vows in front of many people but instead of Tsunade officiating the marriage, it would be Fuurin. He secretly wanted it to be the Godaime but she had departed two years ago. She left just as quiet as Jiraiya. But Naruto had been prepared because Tsunade had been so happy on the eve of her death. Not only that, she had been lucky. She won in any form of gamble and spent the money buying Japanese wine to her close friends. Everything had been perfect for her and an hour before she retired to her bed, she was happily talking about her younger brother and her lover as if she was going to see them soon and she did.

With her dead, it was Sakura who soon became the head director of the Medic-nin organization. But it almost took her two months to finally occupy her master's office and another three months to get rid of Tsunade's things but she still left the Japanese wine bottle and cup her master was so fond of using at the same place the blonde medic-nin placed.

Lee had put up his own Taijutsu School to improve the taijutsu skills of every shinobi especially special jounin. He established a group of jounin whose specialty was taijutsu and luckily for them, the green beast of Konoha didn't order them to wear green spandex, bowl haircut and orange legwarmers.

Gai had been proud of his protégé's accomplishment that it improved his bad mood caused by the way Kakashi treated him at the home for the aged. His eternal rival had completely forgotten him... forgotten everything and everyone except for his dear Iruka who was sharing a room with him.

Iruka was still the same- a worry-freak and prim but he cared deeply for Kakashi who clung unto the only thing that he could never ever forget- him.

Kurenai had never married nor dated anyone after Asuma. No matter how many suitors she had, her answer was the same, 'My heart had no place for you. I still love Asuma.' And among all the people who knew her, it was Shikamaru who understood and respected her wish the most. After all, he was the only one who saw her break down after he gently told her of his teacher's demise.

Shikamaru became a council member at the same time the senior head liaison officer. And for someone who found things to be troublesome, he was serious with his obligations. It was because his will of fire wasn't his own alone. It was his and Asuma's.

Chouji after resignation had put up a diner across Yamanaka's flower shop. It was more out of fun than anything else. He offered free meals to ninjas who were to leave for missions knowing that the probability of shinobis on field eating meals was low and their meals were rationed. A lot of people referred the free sumptuous meal as their 'last supper'.

Ino still worked at the hospital as one of the senior medic-nins. She was still as feisty as before, an attitude that youngsters found contagious.

Hinata spent her time as a volunteer at a daycare center and looking after her grandkids.

Kiba was still an active ninja but his missions' scope was a short-term B to A class mission. After Akamaru's death, he had refused any dogs given to him from his family. Akamaru was and always would be his only partner and that was the end of it. Period.

Shino became a council member too and as usual the most silent and creepy one. He was also the adviser for recon plans. During his free time, he spent his time training his grandchildren and breeding insects.

Neji spent most of his time training Shunya not out of favoritism but because of fear that the boy's power would corrupt him completely. He also didn't want him to be influenced by the elders who saw him not as a person but as a prize and weapon.

Tenten became the senior weaponry trainer of most special jounin. And with her grandchildren in their teenage years, she volunteered to help Lee in his dojo.

Gaara was still the Kazekage but he was now training Kankoru's eldest son to become his replacement. His love life was the same as before- static or to be exact dead. He didn't fancy anyone regardless of their gender. Everybody was certain that Gaara would die as a virgin and Gaara's reaction to that opinion was just a smirk. Of course, nobody knew that he had been and was still in love with somebody who could never be his. But at least, they were friends... close friends and it was the next best thing he could ever have.

Kankuro became Gaara's right-hand man and the person he could trust the most in the council.

Temari had risen as a diplomat because of her knowledge and understanding of Suna and Konoha. She served for the best interest of both villages.

Sai was still a pervert but no longer held the top position of perversion. He was still the leader of the Root and as his age increased, his urge in scandalizing anyone had gotten worse too. If one wasn't careful, he would see the man's drawings of a very detailed penis decorating every wall.

Despite their age, every one was still shining beautifully, fiercely and brightly in their own ways. And never had Konoha seen this type of shinobis and kunoichis who could maintain the same intense dedication and commitment to the village, their selves and their family at the same time. Never did the village have public servants like them before and it shall never have again.

Naruto looked at the sunset… casting its last rays over the place giving it a fiery or burning look. "The sun is beautiful," he muttered.

"I know," Sasuke said but he wasn't staring at the sun but at his sun who looked like a statue made of liquid gold. His heart told him that Naruto was blushing before looking at him.

The blonde cupped the side of his face, "But the moon is still entrancing." After saying that, he leaned forward to capture his spouse's lips for a slow and lingering stirring kiss. After what was like an eternal, the two broke apart breathless and their eyes half-lidded. The passion was still there even after many years had passed. It still left every inch of their body trembling in a good way.

"Don't make me wait long, bastard."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and scoffed, "The king of procrastination speaks."

Naruto sighed, thumbing those lips he so loved. "I hope you'd be less of a bastard."

"And you, a less dobe."

"Bastard," Naruto murmured as he snuggled closer.

"Usuratonkachi," was the retort.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

At the kitchen, the matriarchs were busy preparing. Although, the first decision was to cater, they finally decided to cook everything by themselves making it more personal.

A pleased smile grace Miki's lips as she completed the finishing touches on the wedding cake. "I bet otousan and chichiue will be disappointed to learn that we aren't serving onigiri or ramen." It was no secret to them that their parents wanted that in fact they especially Naruto had been implying their wants since two weeks ago.

"They're eating it almost every day," Chie said, rolling her eyes, "so it's not appropriate to serve such food during a special occasion."

"Exactly," Yukina nodded. "Besides what we are making are better than onigiri and ramen."

"Grandparents would resent that," Yuuhi's fiancée quipped.

"Definitely," Haruo's wife nodded in agreement.

"We almost have everything ready," Amaterasu announced a little bit too excited. But she couldn't be blamed because tonight two people who were very much in loved with each other would exchange their vows during a meteor shower. What a perfect romantic event.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

An hour or two later, everything was ready and Miki stepped into the family den where the men were engrossed in a serious discussion. Most of them were already dressed for the event and was just waiting for the time to leave.

"Have anyone seen Otousan and Chichiue?" she asked.

"They're probably upstairs preparing," Akemi said.

"I went to their room to help them get dressed or see if they need anything but they weren't there and their kimono were left untouched."

Kisho grinned. "Perhaps they decided to skip the ceremony part and proceeded to the honeymoon." That earned him a smack to his head courtesy of his lover.

"I saw them at the porch when I arrived." Haruo supplied. "Perhaps they're still there."

"At this time?" Yuuzuki asked. "And in those clothes? Damn. Aren't they thinking that they could easily get sick in this temperature?"

"I'll go get them," Yuuhi offered. "Before reminding my cousins that its time for them to start preparing."

Miki beamed.

After a short while, Yuuhi with an unreadable expression returned. "Umm…" he started making everyone in the den to look at him. "Grandparents are at the porch all right but I couldn't wake them up. Or to be more exact they won't wake up."

And somehow that statement alone, made Sasuke and Naruto's children paled and caused their hearts to beat faster. They 'poof'ed outside and just as Yuuhi said, their parents were at the porch and in each other's arms sleeping. But they all knew without even checking for their pulse that they were no longer in this world. Their chichiue and otousan were dead. They didn't care how and who went first, all they knew was that they died in each other's arms.

Naruto had his head on Sasuke's shoulder while one pale arm draped on the blonde's shoulder and the dark-haired man's other hand was held between tanned hands on both of their lap.

They had failed to cheat death but at least they managed to convince it to let them die together. Perhaps that was the reason there was an arrogant smirk on Sasuke's and a small victorious smile on Naruto's. They looked so contented and peaceful and it made their heart clenched in bitter sweetness and their tears flowed freely. They couldn't stop it… they didn't want it to stop.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

The wedding ceremony was cancelled but there was still a celebration and it was held in the front lawn of the manor house. But it was now a celebration to how the couple lived. The atmosphere that ruled the place was a bittersweet one. This time, sobs, muffled cries and sniffs outnumbered the chuckle and laughter. Everybody was grieving in their own way while they tried to smile knowing that was what Naruto wanted. But to smile at their loss was such a difficult task and they seek support from the people around them, trying to find the strength to smile; trying to find the bravery to move on and trying to find the courage to say goodbye. They tried to comfort one another when all of them were inconsolable at that moment.

On the porch… on the bench… Sasuke's and Naruto's corpses sat. Nobody had touched them yet. They wanted the couple to watch them celebrate the way they lived and to admire with them the breathtaking scene the meteor shower would give.

As the celestial show started, Iruka stood at the end of the stairs that led to the porch and looked at his former students who were different and yet the same and who were always opposite with and volatile around each other. And he cried harder.

"Iruka?" Kakashi called out quietly as he stood beside him. "Why are you crying?"

Big brown eyes looked at him before Iruka pressed his face against his chest. "Iruka, who are they? Why am I crying? Why don't these tears stop? Iruka?"

But all the silver-haired man received as an answer was just cries muffled by his chest and his arms wrapped around his beloved one. He didn't understand why he felt hollow or why his heart seemed so heavy. He didn't understand one thing but he rested his head on top of Iruka's head and closed his eyes. And like a streak of lighting that flashed across the dark sky, a lucid picture of a grinning blonde and a brooding dark-haired man came to his mind.

Sasuke and Naruto… His students…

Slowly, he whispered to the wind, "Naruto… Sasuke." And he cried harder for his loss, finally understanding the situation. And the pain threatened to sweep him away but Iruka was there, holding him tight.

**-SasuNaru is love-**

_With crystal eyes, the being looked at his subject - whitish blond hair, bluer-than-the clearest-sky eyes and whiskered cheeks. Definitely, he was certain. Well, he was certain from the beginning but he always wanted to follow SOP._

"_Uzumaki, Naruto," he said in his cool voice even before half of his body came out from the wisp of white smoke._

"_Uchiha," came the irritated reply before he found himself under the blonde's heavy gaze._

_Naruto took in the being's appearance. Even though he, he assumed the being was a he, was wearing a hooded long robe that covered the ground he stood, Naruto could tell the being's lankiness and yet he felt a great void beneath that black cloth. His eyes were translucent and droopy. His dark long hair was tied in a high ponytail, showing his slightly pointed ears outlined with black studs. The being was giving him a feeling of peace and light-headedness._

"_I've been waiting for you," he greeted._

_"You don't have to wait anymore," was the casual reply. "Your time is up."_

_Naruto just nodded. He had expected this._

_"And this time, you can't bargain."_

_The blonde nodded again. "Then take Sasuke with us."_

_He spared a look to the other man who was oblivious to this conversation. Uchiha... the man who had cheated too many gods of death. He was one of the most slippery mortals. _

_"It's not his time yet."_

_The blonde pouted. "I can't just leave him. I mean, he already suffered enough. He already lost too much."_

_The deity laughed, amused at the man's naiveté. "Uzu-"_

_"Uchiha."_

_"Whatever. Do you know, we gods of death have no emotions? I don't care what he went through and what he will go through if you're dead."_

_Blond eyebrows knitted into a frown. "Then I won't go with you. I'll fight you to stay with him." The last statement was a warning made in a feral growl._

_The shinigami let out a hollow laughter. Did this mortal think he could defeat a god of death? Although one of the hokages and a jinchuuriki, he was still nothing compared to them, immortals. "Don't be a fool. After judgment is passed, you will remember nothing about each other. Your memories will be erased like footprints in the dunes of dessert sands."_

_"So? I don't care about that. What matters most is now."_

_But the immortal knew the blonde cared. His sharp eyes told him so._

_Naruto cared but he believed in their love and in their promise to find each other. They believed in reincarnation because of that. This was getting pointless, he realized and decided to change tactics. He took a deep breath._

_"Sasuke... he was supposed to die a lot of times but managed to escape. Don't you feel vexed at that? A mere mortal who could make a fool out of you guys?" He noticed the scowl. "I was the reason why he cheated too many times. And now I'm giving you permission."_

_"You talk as if you own his life."_

_Naruto smiled uncannily. "I owned him... all of him. If I tell him to die, he will without any protest and hesitation."_

_Obsession and dedication in their twisted form, the deity's mind supplied. Was this how a human should love?_

_"Don't you want the reputation that goes with his capture?"_

_That was tempting. The prospect was tempting. Not to mention, the couple's struggle as they'd try to find each other after their memories were wiped out. He was no mortal but he wasn't invincible against temptation as sweet as this._

_"The carriage I brought is fit for two persons only," he said and Naruto smiled knowing it was his victory. "You're lucky that my scope of jurisdiction is wide." In one single snap of his fingers, a thick book appeared and displayed the page he wanted. He swept a ring-laden hand over the page and immediately Sasuke's lifespan became zero._

_Sasuke snapped his eyes open when he felt himself jolted somewhere. He smirked as he saw the being who had once chased after him. "We met again."_

_"So it seems" the deity replied coolly._

_The three of them turned when another deity joined them but the newcomer paid them no attention. His tangerine eyes were focused on the Kyuubi who appeared a second after. To the couple's surprise, Kyuubi looked tamed like a house cat._

_"He's assigned to demons and had charms to keep them like that."_

_"Wait," Naruto called out when they were about to leave. Without thinking, he hugged one of Kyuubi's legs. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you for everything."_

_"Anytime, human," Kyuubi growled but there was definitely warmth in his voice. Naruto smiled when one tail pat his head. And then they were gone, disappearing into space like vapors._

_"Unlike you, his memories won't be wiped out. He can visit you if he so wishes," he explained because the blonde was close to crying. "Shall we go now?"_

_The two nodded before sharing a look. The deity opened the carriage that looked too dingy to be used. He was still not comfortable that he would take the driver's seat outside the vehicle. His coat would make him stand the frosty temperature but it won't block out those fluttering noises he would hear throughout the journey. Noises that still made him cranky even after billions of years working as a god of death._

_He grumbled more before taking a seat. Following his mind's desire, the carriage lifted from the ground and flew. He was about to relax when he realized something._

_When the couple had stepped out from their respective rusty shells and shed off their aging skin, they reverted back to the age their hearts desired them to be. Most of the time, his catch would revert back to her teenage or childhood years but the couple had changed back to their mid-twenties... the time when..._

_Oh shit!_

_He sat up and slammed a palm on the wooden roof. "No, naughty business!" But, he knew he was too late when there was no reply other than a breathless moan._

**-SasuNaru is eternity-**

**The end.**

The sadistic part in me wanted to make all of this a dream of a 17-year-old Sasuke who had collapsed after he killed Itachi. And when he woke up, he shrugged it off, knowing he could never make that dream into reality especially when Orochimaru was waiting at one particular room to do the body transfer technique but… I decided to follow the original end which was the real reason why I started writing this whole story.

I know I didn't write the reaction of each of the couple's friends with their death but that is because if I go into a detail it would make the story dragging and I believed that in this case giving less detail was a better way to create an impact. I'm certain not all of us had felt the loss of a loved one but I believed that we know what it would probably feel like and I wanted to stimulate that response through this way. I wanted the sad emotion to come from somewhere deep within you rather than being produced by your brain through what I wrote. I hope I managed to pull it off. Sometimes, I'm so ambitious.

After reading fanfics, doujinshis and manga and watching the series, I wanted for Sasu and Naru to die together. But that want turn into "What if Sasu and Naru died together as a couple?" and from there the rest was history. When writing a fic, I usually planned the ending first. Yes, everything starts from the end and I know it's a bit strange but that's just how I work. Then from the end, it could either be the climax or the start depending on my mood. Originally, this fic was supposed to end when Yuuzuki married but when I was writing chapter 5, I realized it was unfair to Akemi, Miki and Kisho. So this fic which should have been good for 20 or 30 chapters spanned to 88. Yes, 88. When I posted Chapter 85, I was disappointed thinking I only had 87 chapters then remembered that I had started writing Naruto's confrontation against his friends which was chapter 86. When I remembered that, I was happy because I have 88 chapters and 8 symbolizes infinity, does it not? To be honest, I wanted to end it to 69 because of its sexual connotation but it proved to be so difficult to cram all plots so yeah I went over 69 but was glad I reached 88.

As for the italics, well, I could have leave it off where Kakashi cried but I was like "That's it?". I felt that the chapter was hanging so I decided to either replay those SasuNaru moments that were present in anime or manga OR write their encounter with Shinigami. Everybody knows what happened in the anime or manga and might get bored reading it so I decided to do the latter. I know you guys wanted to know who died first and how so, yeah… consider the last part as just an Omake (extra).

Now, to all those who read this fic especially those who stayed from the beginning to end despite the grammatical errors I committed, I could never thank you enough for the support and time you have given for this. I am more surprised that you guys stayed rather than with the fact that I manage to remain interested and attentive to this fic. It was you guys who made my attention and interest to never waver. And I showed this gratitude by replying to your reviews. I never saw it as an obligation but as a means to let you know how much I appreciate your presence. Although it's a bit sad that I couldn't privately thank those who remained quiet throughout. To those lurkers, thank you very much. I have three one-shots I made as a break from writing the "The Uchiha couple" but they still need few touches here and there so please look forward to them. I'll probably rest before posting them or post them before resting.

Anyway, I had fun taking this ride with you guys and I hope you feel the same way. Let's take a journey together next time. For now, let me rest.

Age:

Sasuke and Naruto: 69

**Yuuzuki: 45**

Haruo: 26 Yuuhi: 25 Akihito: 23

**Akemi: 40**

Rui: 19 Toshiya: 17 Ryota: 16 Atsuko: 14

**Miki: 38**

Amaterasu 23 Shunya: 18 Reiji: 15

**Kisho: 35 Makoto: 38**


End file.
